Autopsy: Transgender blogger died of pulmonary embolism

HOUSTON – Monica Roberts, a prominent Houston transgender rights activist and blogger, died of complications of a pulmonary embolism, the Harris County medical examiner reported Thursday.

Roberts’ body was found early the morning of Oct. 6 in the parking lot of an apartment complex, where she had apparently been taking out her garbage, police said. The autopsy report cited obesity and high blood pressure as contributing factors in Roberts’ death.

Roberts, a native of Houston, launched her award-winning TransGriot blog in 2006 as a forum for transgender people of colour. She was also politically active through her CFAIR blog and political action committee, through which she endorsed political candidates she found to be sensitive to the rights and needs of the LGBT community. She also was a founding member of the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition.