Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Deep State Witch

(12,539 posts)
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 05:17 PM Oct 28

Trans Advocate Lia Smith Found Dead

Lia Smith, a transgender student at Middlebury College in Vermont, has been confirmed dead by local authorities. Smith, 21, was an active member of student life as a former diver on the women’s swimming and diving team, a member of the Chess Club, Japanese Club, and Women in Computer Science, and “an articulate advocate of transgender rights,” according to a message from Middlebury president Ian Baucom.

Earlier this year, Smith participated in a campus forum that addressed the ongoing political attacks against transgender people in the US. The February 2025 event, covered by the Addison Independent, was held in response to multiple executive orders signed by current US President Donald Trump that targeted trans healthcare and participation in sports. Smith spoke on a panel titled Trans Healthcare is NOT a Debate!, a protest against the college’s decision to host a talk called What is the Right Approach to Public Policy and Transgender Medicine?

On October 23, the Vermont Police Department released a statement confirming that their search and rescue team had discovered a body near the college’s organic farm. The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office later identified the body as Smith and determined that there was no suspicion of foul play. The cause of death has now been ruled as suicide.

https://gcn.ie/us-trans-diver-lia-smith-dead/

"Suicide" my ass.

20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trans Advocate Lia Smith Found Dead (Original Post) Deep State Witch Oct 28 OP
💔💔💔 ultralite001 Oct 28 #1
What makes you doubt the report? TommyT139 Oct 28 #2
+1. What reason do we have to doubt this ? stopdiggin Oct 28 #6
Call me extremely suspicious. chouchou Oct 28 #3
I seem to recall... Mike Nelson Oct 28 #4
That was swimmer Greg_In_SF Oct 28 #5
Yes... Mike Nelson Oct 28 #7
This message was self-deleted by its author barbtries Oct 28 #8
Are you accusing Greg_In_SF Oct 28 #9
High profile "suicides" always remind me of the "Enemy of the State" movie. rubbersole Oct 28 #17
I disagree TommyT139 Oct 28 #10
Thank you! Insightful, sensitive - and very much on point ! stopdiggin Oct 30 #19
😡😥😢🫂😇 QueerDuck Oct 28 #11
Heartbreaking. She was very brave to participate the campus forum. ❤️ MLAA Oct 28 #12
I guess that if someone is driven to kill themselves, markodochartaigh Oct 28 #13
Aw damn. calimary Oct 28 #14
Sorry for My Assumption Deep State Witch Oct 28 #15
Totally understandable. TommyT139 Oct 30 #20
Given the climate of fascist insanity in this country hadEnuf Oct 28 #16
There has only been Greg_In_SF Oct 28 #18

TommyT139

(2,134 posts)
2. What makes you doubt the report?
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 05:27 PM
Oct 28

Seems entirely conceivable to me, especially if she was attacked online for daring to stand up to the right-wing panel's talking points. Unfortunately that panel included B.W., a trans woman who seems to have caught the "Harry Benjamin Syndrome" bug.

(I'm not typing out her name because I am quite sure she has a Google alert set for mentions of her on the open web, where DU posts show up.)

stopdiggin

(14,947 posts)
6. +1. What reason do we have to doubt this ?
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 05:35 PM
Oct 28

And .. (so very unfortunately) .. in one so young, I have to admit it was one of my first thoughts ...

Mike Nelson

(10,895 posts)
4. I seem to recall...
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 05:32 PM
Oct 28

... she being a favorite and frequent "target" for FOX "News" - or maybe it was another Lia. In any case, R.I.P.

Mike Nelson

(10,895 posts)
7. Yes...
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 05:38 PM
Oct 28

... that was the name. Thank you. She must be feeling sad for her namesake. I hope society finds more kindness for our Trans brothers and sisters.

Response to Deep State Witch (Original post)

Greg_In_SF

(818 posts)
9. Are you accusing
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 06:23 PM
Oct 28

The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office of covering up evidence of a murder?

TommyT139

(2,134 posts)
10. I disagree
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 06:37 PM
Oct 28

A secluded location, where she wouldn't be interrupted...
Yet on-campus, technically...
While not in the dorms or where other students, unprepared, would find her.

On the other hand, murders of trans people (women especially) tend to be very violent.

I'm not invested in whether or not you are convinced, but please consider how assumptions of murder might undercut discussions of the very real statistics of trans suicides; the progress that has been made by trans communities working for years with police and press to minimize harm by, for example, misgendering a deceased person; and in a way, erasing or minimizing whatever Lia was going through in order to paint the news with vibes of conspiracy and suspicion.

There is enough violence against trans people without giving the rightwing more fodder to doubt the truths of our lives.

stopdiggin

(14,947 posts)
19. Thank you! Insightful, sensitive - and very much on point !
Thu Oct 30, 2025, 02:57 PM
Oct 30

We have no reason (or right), to be co-opting this sad event towards 'other' agenda ...

markodochartaigh

(4,923 posts)
13. I guess that if someone is driven to kill themselves,
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 06:46 PM
Oct 28

or even, like Socrates, forced to kill themselves it is still suicide. I think that English needs a new word or term.

Deep State Witch

(12,539 posts)
15. Sorry for My Assumption
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 07:55 PM
Oct 28

Of foul play vs. unaliving oneself. It's just that I get suspicious every time that I see a report of a trans person who unalived themselves - especially in a remote area.

hadEnuf

(3,512 posts)
16. Given the climate of fascist insanity in this country
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 08:04 PM
Oct 28

I don't blame anybody for being suspicious when something like this happens.

Greg_In_SF

(818 posts)
18. There has only been
Tue Oct 28, 2025, 08:14 PM
Oct 28

one documented murder of a trans person in 2025 - Daquan Johnson back in July in Washington State. Unfortunately, people in the trans community have a 40% suicide attempt rate which is about 20 times that of the general population.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Trans Advocate Lia Smith ...