Blurred Bylines

18/04/2024

Since October 2023, Israel has killed 95 journalists, 92 of whom are Palestinian. This represents the most killings ever committed by a single country since recording began in 1992. With regard to overall civilian deaths in Gaza, Israel has killed more than 33,797 Palestinians through airstrikes, bombings, shootings, and forced starvation. The United Nations reported on April 15 that more than 14,500 Palestinian children have been killed by Israel in the last six months.

Because the resources in Gaza that typically track these death tolls, such as hospitals and media organizations, have been destroyed or dismantled by Israel, the actual number of Palestinians killed so far is likely far higher, but it may take more months yet until the true toll is determined. On-the-ground journalists are often an integral part of documenting civilian deaths in conflict zones, but they themselves have become targets of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Israel is targeting journalists for the same reason it’s targeting aid workers: these groups make committing genocide against Palestinians more difficult to do. In fact, Israel has not only killed a record number of journalists in the last six months, it’s also killed a record number of aid workers as well.

Since October 2023, Israel has killed 203 aid workers. These are the most killings of aid workers ever recorded by a single country since global tracking began.

https://blurredbylines.com/articles/israel-killing-journalists-palestinian-record-number-deaths/

13/10/2023

As one of the only Latino journalists in LA, Ruben Salazar spoke for countless Mexican Americans who had been marginalized and abused by the city until he was killed by police in 1970. Salazar’s tireless work done on behalf of Latinos made him a hero. And his death at the hands of a Los Angeles sheriff’s deputy forever made him a symbol for Chicano pride and resistance against police brutality.

Ruben Salazar was a Mexican-American journalist who wrote about the plight of Chicanos in Los Angeles until he was killed by police.

19/06/2023

During the Stonewall Uprising, Zazu Nova was a transgender woman who fought alongside Marsha P. Johnson against the police in New York City. She is believed to be one of three iconic figures who may have thrown the "first brick."

Often erased from LGBTQ history, Zazu Nova was a transgender woman at the forefront of fights with police at Stonewall, and kept on fighting for gay and trans rights into the 1970s.

01/06/2023

When Target removed Pride products from its shelves after a firestorm of death threats from anti-LGBTQ hate groups, the corporation only proved these violent tactics are effective. And copycats will be encouraged to harass the next inclusive brand in the same way.

When Target removed Pride products after a firestorm of death threats from anti-LGBTQ hate groups, it just emboldened future violence.

13/05/2023

In 2006, 14-year-old Elizabeth Shoaf was kidnapped and held in an underground bunker for over a week with a serial sexual predator until she managed to secretly send a text from her abductor's phone and pinpoint rescuers to her location in the wilderness.

In 2006, Elizabeth Shoaf was kidnapped and held in a bunker. Her tenacity to secretly send a text is how this ‘girl in the bunker’ saved herself.

03/05/2023

During a time when homosexuality was illegal in the U.S., the Daughters of Bilitis was the country's first le***an organization that fought for the establishment of basic civil rights for gay men and le***ans.

The Daughters of Bilitis fought to decriminalize gay men and le***ans through the 1950s - 1960s when homosexuality was illegal and deeply taboo.

06/04/2023

In 1984, 17-year-old Lisa McVey persevered through a 26-hour abduction from serial killer Bobby Joe Long and helped police arrest him two weeks later. She pursued a career in law enforcement and today is a middle school resource officer who teaches students how to avoid and survive potential abductions.

17-year-old Lisa McVey persevered through a 26-hour abduction from serial killer Bobby Joe Long and was key in securing his arrest.

28/03/2023

As the first woman to compete for a world billiards title in the U.S., Masako Katsura blew audiences away with her incredible trick shots and competitive edge. But as a Japanese-American woman in a sport dominated by men in the 1950s, social constraints should have prevented her from playing. However, Masako caught a world on fire that thought it already knew what a woman could and could not do.

Masako Katsura was a Japanese-American woman who fought to compete against the world’s best 3-cushion billiards players in the 1950s.

23/03/2023

As a Black drag queen in the 1960s, Crystal LaBeija combated racism in New York City's drag scene by creating a house system that remains a staple of ballroom culture today.

Crystal LaBeija was a Black drag queen in the 1960s who combated racism by creating a house system that remains a staple of ballroom culture today.

07/03/2023

In 1951, Matt Ingram was charged with assaulting a white girl based on a look he gave her while standing 70 feet away. In an example of “reckless eyeballing,” in the Jim Crow South, one accusation centering on his gaze toward a frightened teenager destroyed everything that he and his family built in an instant.

Matt Ingram was charged with intent to sexually assault a white girl because he looked at her in an infamous "reckless eyeballing" case.

23/01/2023

Abby Hernandez was 14 years old when she was kidnapped and held captive for 9 months in a windowless shed. Her resolve to stay alive and gain her kidnapper’s trust over those grueling and abusive months is a story of hope despite unfathomable circumstances.

Abby Hernandez spent more than 9 months in a windowless shed but never lost the will to escape her kidnapper

19/01/2023

In October 2022 alone, airlines broke or lost over 1,000 wheelchairs. Advocates liken the act of breaking a wheelchair to breaking someone’s legs. Their independence is gone in an instant. Why do airlines break so many wheelchairs each day, and what can be done about it?

In October 2022 alone, airlines broke or lost over 1,000 wheelchairs and scooters. But the risks of flying for those with disabilities extends beyond broken wheelchairs.

13/01/2023

During the 1860s, 6-foot-tall Gallus Mag was a prominent bouncer in New York City with a fierce reputation for brutally beating rowdy customers and gang members, keeping their severed ears as trophies, and showing them off to her patrons at the bar.

During the 1860s and 1870s, Gallus Mag was a prominent bouncer in New York City with a reputation for brutally beating rowdy customers.

09/01/2023

While aboard slave ships, West African women braided rice in their hair and forever altered the New World economy through ingeniously transporting the rice seeds of their homelands to the Americas.

By braiding rice in their hair, African slaves and their Black Maroon descendants forever altered the course of European colonialism in the Americas.

06/01/2023

More than half of the LGBTQ population in the U.S. is bisexual, but just 2% of all board members at 29 of the largest LGBTQ organizations are bi. Bisexual people face higher rates of sexual assault, domestic violence and poverty than gay men and le***ans, so it begs the question: Where's our bi representation?

Bisexual people account for over half of the LGBTQ+ population in the U.S., but only a fraction serve at the country’s largest LGBTQ+ organizations.

10/12/2022

While 9 months pregnant, Teka Adams survived a brutal attempted fetal abduction that lasted four days in her assailant's apartment. Adams gave birth to a healthy baby girl just hours after escaping with her life.

Against all odds, both Teka Adams and her unborn fetus survived a brutal fetal abduction attempt in 2009 that lasted for days.

26/11/2022

Only 3% of TV shows and 5% of films had a Latino lead in 2022. Latinos are the largest minority group in the U.S., but the television and film industry has consistently failed to produce new content that embraces Latino representation.

Latinos are the largest minority group in the U.S., but only 3% of TV shows and 5% of films in 2022 had a Latino lead.

18/11/2022

A young attorney named Jennifer Morey survived a bloody murder attempt in April 1995 by a man who was hired to keep women like her safe in their homes. Here’s how Jennifer fought off her attacker and built a rich and fulfilling life for herself in the aftermath.

Against all odds, Jennifer Morey survived an attempted murder in 1995 by a man she should have been able to trust.

07/11/2022

Yuri Kochiyama’s friendship with Malcolm X and her activism in Harlem during the 1960s laid the foundation for a lifelong pursuit in social justice at the intersection of Black Power and Asian American movements.

Yuri Kochiyama’s activism in Harlem and her friendship with Malcolm X in the 1960s laid the foundation for a lifelong activist.

03/11/2022

Carol DaRonch survived an attack from Ted Bundy, one of the most dangerous serial killers in American history, at just 18 years old. Here's how DaRonch fought back and escaped from Bundy’s infamous Volkswagen to testify against him a year later.

Carol DaRonch survived an attack from one of the most dangerous serial killers in American history when she fought back against Ted Bundy. At just 18 years old, DaRonch escaped from Bundy’s infamous Volkswagen and lived on to testify against him in court.

29/10/2022

Baek-il is a joyful Korean celebration that commemorates a baby’s 100th day of life. Here’s how a baby’s 100 day celebration is lovingly observed by their family, friends, and neighbors in Korean tradition.

Baek-il is a joyful Korean party that celebrates a baby’s 100th day of life. It's often the baby's first introduction to family and friends.

19/10/2022

During the Mexican Revolution, Amelio Robles Ávila began his military career as a guerrilla fighter and ended it as a colonel. But as a transgender man, Robles also fought to achieve acceptance for his gender identity throughout the 20th century.

During the Mexican Revolution, Amelio Robles Ávila began his military career as a guerrilla fighter and ended it as a colonel. But as a transgender man, Robles also fought to achieve acceptance for his gender identity throughout the 20th century.

04/10/2022

Against all odds, Enietra Washington survived an attack from the Grim Sleeper serial killer in the 1980s. Largely due to the LAPD’s indifference to murders of Black women, Lonnie Franklin Jr. operated for decades with little interference from police. As the only confirmed survivor, Washington’s testimony was critical in convicting one of the most prolific serial killers in Los Angeles.

Against all odds, Enietra Washington survived an attempted 1988 killing from the Grim Sleeper serial killer in South Los Angeles.

02/10/2022

Among Western, high-income countries, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate by a wide margin. Becoming pregnant in this country is far more medically dangerous than it is in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and other wealthy nations. And with the recent loss of federal abortion rights, millions of American women lose the right to protect their own lives the moment they are impregnated.

Among other high-income countries, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate by a shockingly wide margin.

13/06/2022

With political donations to anti-LGBTQ+ lawmakers, the corporate hypocrisy of rainbow capitalism hit new lows in 2022

With political donations to anti-LGBTQ lawmakers, the corporate hypocrisy of rainbow capitalism hit new lows in 2022.

01/06/2022

In 2022, more schoolchildren have been shot and killed than police officers on duty in the U.S. Here’s brief look at the 27 school shootings that occurred in the first 5 months of this year.

Here’s a brief look at the 27 school shootings that have taken place in the first five months of 2022 in America so far.