Historically, queer and trans people have been written about and spoken for, but social media has given queer and trans people a platform to speak for themselves. PJ McClelland was a non-binary person who died from COVID-19 at the age of 37 and chronicled their battle with the disease in a ~6,500 word-long Facebook post. Their post can be read in its entirety on their Facebook page, which is public.
Local and national news sources have also reported on PJ’s passing. Notably, the local news source concluded their report with the following statement: “While Florida Department of Health coronavirus death data references McClelland as a 35-year-old woman in Hillsborough County, family and friends say that number was misreported and McClelland was in fact 37.” While they acknowledge that the Florida Department of Health wrongly recorded PJ’s age at death, they fail to acknowledge that PJ was also misgendered in the death data reference.
GLAAD (formerly the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) notes the importance of correctly reporting the name and gender identity of transgender victims:
“Reporters telling the stories of transgender victims...will often be given incorrect or incomplete information from police, from witnesses, or even from family and friends of the victim. However it's critically important that journalists make the effort to report on each victim with dignity and respect. Disregarding the victim's gender identity and misgendering them in news reports adds insult to injury, compounding the tragedy by invalidating the person's lived reality.”
GLAAD
PJ’s story not only highlights their personal struggles with COVID-19 and accessing medical care, but the pervasive issue of misgendering trans people in death. Not only is this kind of misreporting degrading and insulting, but it also erases the record of trans people and skews the statistics of trans murder and death rates.
We will now let a selection of PJ’s comments speak for themselves.
On lack of medical preparedness and lack of PPE:
"I was their 1st confirmed case, and I am REALLY fucking worried. NO ONE had proper PPE. They had zero N95 masks. There were 3 separate signs posted on my door in the ER saying, "Call. Do Not Enter." They had my phone number written on the outside of the door. I had to enter and exit through the ambulance bay. This is gonna get worse before it gets better, y'all."
On mental health and medical incompetence:
"Lots of you have asked, so I wanted to talk about my mental health. All things considered, I'm in a good place. I was lucky to get a phone appointment with my psychologist this week. I'm taking my meds, as always. Last night I was a fucking wreck. Not being able to breathe will terrify anyone. The incompetence of BRH further fueled my stress. I truly did not feel that I should be discharged; I got the feeling they just wanted me to GTFO asap. We all know it's the worst hospital in the world, but still.... I'm feeling MUCH less anxious today. Basically everything makes me cry, but that's pretty normal for me. I have been in almost constant contact with my shrink, and I can text him at any time should the need arise."
On incompetence and misgendering in a medical setting:
A few actual things said to my by my nurse and doctor last night:
Nurse: Where's your IV?
Me: I don't have one? The EMT said they can't provide any medical care.
Nurse: Great! Now I'm gonna get it!
Doctor: What exactly is it that you want us to do for you, ma'am?
Me: I would like you to keep me alive.
That was the entirety of my conversations with both of them. TL;DR DON'T GO TO BRH!!!!
On the experience of having COVID-19:
This is, by far, the sickest I've ever been. I'm writing this through tears....
On rationing of medicine and failure to provide critical medical treatment:
"I called my doc in Clearwater for a follow up. I haven't been back in town long enough to get one here. I asked if they could PLEASE call me in something to halo alleviate my symptoms. She said they're saving chloroquine for "really sick patients." Aaaand if I came in, MAYBE they could prescribe something else. It's an hour and a half drive each direction. I barely have the energy to walk up the steps to my bedroom....I asked for a rx for chloroquine, since it was approved by the FDA today. He said that rn they're only giving it to patients in the ICU for whom essentially all hope is lost. Although I'd like to have it, I'm very, very grateful that I'm not in that position."
On hope:
I can safely say this has been the longest, and some of the worst, three weeks of my life. BUT I only have 1-3 more weeks to go of batting the #beast. Then up to 6 more weeks of quarantine. I know I've said this, but it bears repeating: I'm one of the lucky ones. I'm NOT saying I'm out of the woods yet. I've seen far too many cases of people who were on the mend in the morning and died that night.
PJ McClelland's Facebook Page
Tampa Channel 8 News: "37-year-old Brandon COVID-19 victim chronicled disease on Facebook up until death"
Pink News: "This non-binary coronavirus victim kept a heartbreaking public journal of their illness until their death"
GLAAD: "Doubly Victimized: Reporting on Transgender Victims of Crime"