Eliza Rae Shupe
27 Jan 2025
Syracuse, New York (USA)
Suicide
Eliza died by suicide outside Syracuse VA Medical Center. She was a trans veteran and at the time she passed her body was draped with the trans flag.
Syracuse, N.Y. — A patient at Syracuse VA Medical Center died by an apparent suicide outside the top of the hospital's parking garage Monday.
Witnesses said the person was wrapped in a body-length transgender pride flag.
The transgender veteran [suicide method redacted], according to a notification the VA gave government officials. The veteran had been discharged from the VA’s inpatient psychiatry unit on Jan. 21, according to the notification.
Passers-by spotted the body at the garage next to the hospital and across the street from Syracuse University’s JMA Wireless Dome at about 11:15 a.m. Monday. That day, syracuse.com reported that a body had been found.
Anne C. Bellows, a professor of food studies, said she was walking back to her office on the top floor of the Falk College building when she and other SU faculty saw the body.
She said the person was wrapped in a body-length flag that was light pink, light blue and white — which she confirmed to be the trans flag.
The Syracuse VA officials declined to answer questions from Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard about the death. A VA spokesperson issued a statement that only confirmed a veteran had died at the VA Monday. It said officials will not provide more details, citing respect to the veteran’s family and an ongoing investigation.
In 2016 Eliza had became the first person in the United States to obtain legal recognition of a nonbinary gender.
In 2019 she publicly detransitioned, but in 2022 she published a statement reclaiming her trans identity and condemning the anti-trans movement's use of her story to push conversion therapy.
https://www.them.us/story/elisa-rae-shupe-obituary-army-veteran-activist-vigil
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/02/a-veteran-hanged-himself-while-draped-in-a-trans-pride-flag/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisa_Rae_Shupe
https://www.instagram.com/capitalpridedc/p/DFiz4InSLqk/
https://x.com/DCHomos/status/1885789208192725039
https://www.threads.net/@capitalpridedc/post/DFiz4ryS5eP
