Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old trans girl, was stabbed to death in a park in Warrington on Saturday. Two teenagers, both aged 15, have been charged with murder. As vigils take place across the country, many have pointed out that Ghey will be misgendered in death as she wouldn’t have been able to have her gender legally recognised during her lifetime. Under UK law, only those aged 18 and over are able to obtain a GRC, which allows a trans person’s gender to be recorded on birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates.

A brave woman has launched a campaign with the hashtag #DignityForBrianna with the goal of getting Ghey a posthumous GRC. She recalls being overwhelmed with “sadness which swiftly turned into a searing anger” when she realised Ghey had died without ever being afforded the opportunity of gender recognition. “I decided to channel that into something that could help her get the dignity she deserves,”

She thinks the government should issue Brianna with a GRC “because this young girl fought hard to be herself in a world that is filled with so much hate and ridicule for people like her”.

“She had her life stolen from her in such a horrific and tragic way,” she added. “The last act of this nation for her should not be disrespecting who she was and denying her the dignity in death that everyone else is entitled to by default.”

More broadly, she would like to see the government amend the law so that if a trans person hadn’t obtained a GRC in life, “they could be issued one in death to maintain dignity”.

“I believe it’s the human thing to do.”

#dignitiyforbrianna