Monique Thomas

Monique Thomas (March 30, 1963 – September 11, 1998) was a Black transgender woman who resided in Dorchester, Massachusetts.[1] Her death, along with the murders of other Black transgender women in Boston, such as Rita Hester, led to the creation of International Transgender Day of Remembrance.[2]

Monique Thomas
Born
Rufus Thomas

(1963-03-30)March 30, 1963
DiedSeptember 11, 1998(1998-09-11) (aged 35)
Dorchester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Cause of deathMurder
Alma materNortheastern University
Known forInspiring the Transgender Day of Remembrance

Early life

Monique Thomas spent her childhood in Massachusetts, graduating from Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Roxbury.[3] Following this, she attended the Northeastern University Dental Assistants Program under her given name Rufus Thomas (which she is almost exclusively referred to as in public and media records) and graduated at age 19.[3] At the time of her death, she was living in Dorchester, MA.[4]

Murder

Monique Thomas was murdered at age 35[4] by George Stallings,[5] and her body was found in her apartment a week after her death, at 8 pm on September 11, 1998,[1] by Boston Police. Her jewelry, credit cards, and car were stolen after her death.[6] Thomas's car was found September 23, 1998, in Manchester, New Hampshire[6] which led to Stallings' arrest.

Trial

Stallings pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on June 6, 2000.[6] He was sentenced to life, with the possibility of parole. As of 2019, Stallings' petition for parole was denied.[6]

Legacy

Monique Thomas's death was one of many such murders that began a recognition of the danger transgender individuals face internationally. Her murder was discussed alongside the murders of Rita Hester and Chanelle Pickett in “Remembering Our Dead,” a web project[1] that led to the creation of International Transgender Day of Remembrance.[2] Although Monique's death was not mentioned often during the initial creation of the day, she is now frequently mentioned in articles that discuss the ongoing impact and observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance.[2] [7]

References
  1. "Monique Thomas". Remembering Our Dead. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  2. Walters, Quincy (November 20, 2019). "Remembering Rita: The 20th Transgender Day Of Remembrance Is Painfully Personal For Boston". WBUR. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  3. "Commencements". Boston Globe. June 21, 1982. ProQuest 294125861. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  4. "Dorchester Man Found Murdered". Boston Globe. September 13, 1998. ProQuest 405233371. Retrieved April 20, 2023 – via ProQuest.
  5. "Suspect arrested, faces extradition". Boston Globe. September 23, 1998. ProQuest 405254503. Retrieved April 20, 2023 – via ProQuest.
  6. "Parole Board Decision in the Matter of George Stalling". mass.gov. September 5, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  7. Monroe, Irene (November 20, 2022). "On this Transgender Day of Remembrance, commemorate Rita Hester: Her life mattered". Cambridge Day. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
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