PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—The 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC) was memorable for many reasons. The party nominated its first-ever female presidential candidate, held an LGBT caucus and hosted the first-ever transgender speaker. But for North Carolina’s own Janice Covington, known for her passionate fight for fellow transgender inclusion, the convention was memorable in a different way — and not pleasantly so.
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Covington came to the convention as a delegate, and took part in the LGBT caucus and discussions with delegates from all 50 states. Unfortunately, on July 26, things took a turn for the worse as Covington was involved in an accident just outside of the DNC.
A folding chair left on the crowded sidewalk outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center was the culprit of the mishap. Covington describes seeing people falling around her before she herself went down. Covington has been hospitalized since July 27, first in Pennsylvania before being transferred to the W. G. Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury.
“People are cutting the VA short,” Covington asserts. “They’ve always taken care of me. They treat me, they gender me, they call me Ms. Janice. What else do I need? I’ve been in the VA system for years and they’ve always been good to me.”
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After a week of heavy antibiotic treatments four times a day, Covington was told that she does have a bone infection in her leg. There had been talk of amputation, but as of Aug. 3 the hospital was planning to release her with a prescription for a four-week antibiotic regimen and further tests after said treatment.
Covington, long a pillar of the LGBT community in Charlotte and the Carolinas, seemed more concerned with her community than herself. Instead of soliciting hospital visits or get-well cards, Covington declared, “The way people can reach out and show support is to donate to LGBT organizations, whether money or time.”
We at qnotes wish our friend Janice a speedy recovery and will update readers with any further developments.