Her Name Was Eden

[Nevilledog]

https://erininthemorn.substack.com/p/her-name-was-eden

Last night, Eden Knight, a transgender woman with many friends in the community, took her life. With her passing, she left a final message on twitter about the circumstances that lead to her death. Originally from Saudi Arabia, Eden was trafficked out of the United States. Forced to detransition, she was brought back to Saudi Arabia and given no future where she could be herself. Her final message reveals what so many transgender people and those who care about us have said for so long: for many of us, forced detransition can be a fate worse than death. It is with hope that what I tell you here will cause change and that she will be remembered in her passing.

Eden’s note details that two “fixers,” allegedly a man by the name of Michael Pocalyko and a woman by the name of Ellen, got in touch with her with a message of hope - that they could patch things over with her father. They delivered her to D.C. and a lawyer by the name of Bader took over from there. Over time, the lawyer made it so that Eden was entirely dependent on him and unable to to leave. Because Eden had remained in the United States illegally, she was afraid that if she tried to run away, she would be reported and sent back to Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, that seemed to be Bader’s plan the entire time - eventually, she had no option but to go back to Saudi Arabia as she was completely cut off from her community, money, and independence.

Here is what I can confirm from independent sources: Eden has indeed passed away. Her father is wealthy and has close ties to the Saudi government. I cannot corroborate the exact identity of her father, but the identity of an individual making the rounds on Twitter lines up with details I have been made aware of by a separate independent source with knowledge of the case. Independent investigators have also allegedly identified Michael Pocalyko and Ellen. I will link a document that friends of Eden’s have put together for journalists looking further into the events of her passing - I cannot confirm the authenticity of every part of this document, but having spoken to some of these investigators as well as reporters, they have made a compelling case.

If the key details that have been revealed by multiple sources are found to be true, then Eden’s death represents a serious atrocity committed to a transgender woman by people who are allowed to operate within the United States. Her death also represents a chance to make things right and a chance to show a commitment to transgender people within our borders. Transgender refugees should be given full protection and a number to call if they are being trafficked, and asylum status should be granted liberally to this population who could face certain death if they are deported. Eden should have been made to feel safe to reach out for help.

*snip*

[LoisB]

1. This makes me sad and angry at the same time. I hope The Universe has accepted Eden with

open arms and she is now safe.

[Delphinus]

4. Oh my ...

beautiful and heartfelt prayer; thank you for speaking my heart. I join you in that hope.

[LoisB]

6. Thank you for joining me. My heart breaks for the Edens of this world. They are PEOPLE, they are

deserving of our love and acceptance.

[Nevilledog]

2. Kick

[chowder66]

3. This is terribly heartbreaking. What a horrible thing to go through.

I hope all of those involved get what they deserve.

[ChazII]

5. It is heartbreaking

and gut wrenching.

[Mosby]

7. I think the msm is looking for confirmation

Before reporting this, because the story is based on a single tweet.

No one actually knows if she killed herself.

[Ms. Toad]

9. So many die in silence, or worse have their deaths santized/straightened up

by family members who insist on deadnaming their deceased children, or silencing the reality of how and why they died.

This appears to be no exception.

At least two different members of Eden Knight's family annnounced the death and funeral of a "young man" with the same dead (legal) name as Eden Knight. It is not hard to find the arabic announcement. I will not link to it out of respect for Erin.

My high school sweetheart was written out of existence by her birth family when her brother died. His obituary did not even bother to deadname my friend, preferring to pretend she simply never existed.

There is far more than a single tweet, for any caring to confirm. I hope msm bothers, since it all too often doesn't when the victims are LGBTQI or minority.

[Ms. Toad]

8. Thank you for repeatedly raising up stories about trans individuals! n/t

[Nevilledog]

10. ...

The community needs our support.

[Withywindle]

11. Kick for Eden

I've been following this story on Twitter and yes, media sources are reporting now that she is gone. I read her suicide note and I cried even before I knew that for sure, was hoping she'd managed to survive somehow but no.

This story needs to get more traction, and more attention needs to come down HARD on the paid traffickers who catfished her, lied to her, promised her help, and then handed her over to her death. Thanks for posting it here.