Suicide of Eden Knight

Photograph uploaded to Twitter by Knight in January 2023

Eden Knight (March 8, 2000 – March 12, 2023) was a Saudi Arabian trans woman living in the United States who died by suicide on or around March 12, 2023. According to her suicide note, which she posted on Twitter, Knight had been coerced into returning to her family in Saudi Arabia, who forced her to detransition.

Background

Eden Knight was born in Saudi Arabia. Her father, Fahad Al-Shathri, is a Saudi financier who worked at the International Monetary Fund for five years and has been Deputy Governor for Supervision at Saudi Central Bank since June 2018.[1][2][3]

Knight attended high school in the Washington metropolitan area as well as an international school in Riyadh, and subsequently enrolled at George Mason University to study computer science.[4][5] After moving to the United States for university, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Knight came out as transgender and became involved online with members of the trans community.[6] She was described by friends as intelligent, well-read, and hoping to become an advocate for trans people, particularly in Saudi Arabia, whose government does not recognize LGBT rights.[7] She was a fan of the Swedish rapper Bladee.[6][7]

In February 2022, Knight lost her student housing at George Mason University.[1] Her international scholarship reportedly ran out before she could graduate, resulting in the expiration of her visa; she intended to claim political asylum in the United States.[4][5] Knight went to stay in Georgia with an American couple who hoped that she would be able to live with them after being granted asylum.[6] She grew close to them and got along well with their son; the family got her a bracelet with the word "aunt" on it as a gift.[1][6] The same year, Knight began feminizing hormone therapy.[4][5]

Forced detransition and return to Saudi Arabia

In August 2022, Knight was contacted by two American fixers hired by her parents.[5] These individuals, identified as Michael Pocalyko and Ellen Cole,[a] promised that they would be able to help her fix her relationship with her parents and also assist with her immigration status.[2] Some of Knight's friends grew suspicious when Pocalyko, in a phone call that they overheard, complimented risqué photographs of her that he had found online.[7] Pocalyko also reportedly prevented Knight's friends from being involved in their plans, demanding to only communicate with Knight herself.[2][9]

In October 2022, the fixers persuaded Knight to travel to Washington, D.C., where she hoped to get her asylum granted.[7] She was met at the train station by Pocalyko, Cole, and a Saudi attorney named Bader,[b] who took her to a hotel.[7] Once there, Bader was initially hospitable but over the course of days became more coercive, showing her pictures of "feminine men" and attempting to intimidate her into detransitioning.[10][11] Knight feared if she did not comply, her undocumented immigration status would be used against her.[4][12] After being forced to adopt a more masculine appearance and being confronted with her parents, she was flown back to Saudi Arabia in December.[7]

While in Saudi Arabia, Knight's family confiscated her passport and money to keep her from fleeing.[1] She attempted to secretly continue hormone therapy but her parents routinely searched her belongings and found her hormones multiple times.[11] After one such confrontation, her parents admitted to hiring Pocalyko, Cole, and Bader to get her back to Saudi Arabia from the United States.[7][12]

Death

On March 12, 2023, Eden Knight posted a suicide note to Twitter describing her parents' actions over the previous year.[1][13] Her tweet had received 31 million views as of March 17.[14] Knight's death was confirmed the following day in tweets from her family stating "Go to the mercy of God Almighty, young man" and repeatedly deadnaming her.[5]

Reactions

Members of the trans community online and personal friends of Eden Knight compiled a Google Doc commemorating her life and outlining the allegations against those involved in her death.[1][9][15] The Twitter account affiliated with her family went private after a flood of replies noting, "Her name was Eden."[1] The hashtag #JusticeForEden was used on Twitter to pay tribute to her and call for action in the aftermath of her suicide.[16]

Trans writer Jaclyn Moore linked Knight's death to recent incidents of violence against transgender people, specifically the killings of Cashay Henderson and Brianna Ghey.[17] Eli Erlick publicly criticized Michael Pocalyko's involvement in the case.[9] U.S. Representative Cori Bush quoted Knight's message and noted "may she rest in power" in a post on Twitter.[18] Wajeeh Lion, a queer Saudi activist who was granted asylum in the United States in 2018, stated that Knight's death was part of a larger trend in Saudi repression of the LGBTQ+ community and noted that Wajeeh's own parents had attempted similar tactics as Knight's parents had allegedly done.[19] L'Orient-Le Jour compared Knight's situation with that of Sarah Hegazi, an LGBTQ+ activist from Egypt who died by suicide in Canada.[12]

On March 23, protesters gathered outside the Saudi Embassy in Dublin to demand justice for Eden Knight.[20] On March 24, activists protested outside the Embassy of Saudi Arabia, London in memory of Eden Knight and to draw attention to Saudi Arabia's persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals.[21]

Vice News quoted a spokesman from the U.S. State Department as saying, "We have seen these reports and are studying these allegations," in reference to the incident.[7]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ The CEO and managing director of the D.C.-area private intelligence agency Special Investigations.[2][7][8]
  2. ^ Subsequently identified as Bader Alomair, an employee of the Saudi embassy.[2][9]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Klee, Miles (March 16, 2023). "Saudi Trans Woman's Devastating Suicide Note Leaves Her Community Outraged". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e Leonard, Lana (March 16, 2023). "Family forced Saudi trans woman Eden Knight to detransition. Now she's dead". LGBTQ Nation. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  3. ^ "Dr. Fahd Al-Shathri, deputy governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency". Arab News. May 19, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Jones, Charlie (March 15, 2023). "Trans woman Eden Knight feared dead after claiming family forced her to de-transition". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e Dodds, Io (March 14, 2023). "Saudi Arabian trans woman feared dead after posting suicide note saying family had forced her to detransition". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Baska, Maggie (March 16, 2023). "Eden Knight: Friends remember Saudi trans woman's 'overflowing joy' after her tragic death". PinkNews. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Zoledziowski, Anya; Marchman, Tim (March 16, 2023). "A Young Saudi Trans Woman Is Believed Dead After Being Lured From the US and Forced to Detransition". Vice News. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  8. ^ "ABOUT – SI – SPECINV – SI CYBER". Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d Riedel, Samantha (March 17, 2023). "A Saudi Trans Woman Is Presumed Dead After Claiming She Was Forced to Detransition". Them. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  10. ^ Greig, James (March 14, 2023). "A young trans woman takes her own life following forced detransition". Dazed. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Hansford, Amelia (March 15, 2023). "Eden Knight: Saudi trans woman dies by suicide after being 'forced to de-transition'". PinkNews. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Hage, Clara; Vacher, Pauline (March 18, 2023). "Les derniers mots d'une femme transgenre saoudienne". L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  13. ^ Perry, Sophie (March 17, 2023). "Eden Knight: US State Department 'studying' allegations around Saudi trans woman's death". PinkNews. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  14. ^ "Trans Saudi woman Eden Knight feared dead after posting suicide note". The New Arab. March 17, 2023. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  15. ^ Jones, Charlie (March 16, 2023). "Friends 'disturbed' as trans woman feared dead after being forced to de-transition". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  16. ^ Evans, Jossie (March 16, 2023). "Saudi trans woman Eden Knight takes her own life after being 'forced to de-transition'". ITV. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  17. ^ Crimmins, Tricia (March 14, 2023). "Eden Knight, Trans Twitter presence, says she was forced to detransition in viral suicide note". Daily Dot. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  18. ^ Bush, Cori [@CoriBush] (March 17, 2023). "'I hope that the world gets better for us. I hope our people get old. I hope we get to see our kids grow up to fight for us. I hope for trans rights worldwide.' —Eden Knight, may she rest in power 💜🏳️‍⚧️" (Tweet). Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Baska, Maggie (March 20, 2023). "Eden Knight: Trans woman's death highlights 'terrifying' oppression facing LGBTQ+ Saudis". PinkNews. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  20. ^ Fanucci, Beatrice (March 23, 2023). "Protest organised in Dublin to demand justice for Saudi trans woman Eden Knight". Gay Community News. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  21. ^ Akkad, Dania (March 24, 2023). "'Her story is for all of us': Saudi protesters call for justice for Eden Knight". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.