HRC Mourns Dominique Lucious, Black Transgender Woman Killed in Missouri

HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dominique Lucious, a 26-year-old Black transgender woman who was shot and killed on April 8 in Springfield, Mo. Her death is at least the 14th violent death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021. We say “at least” because too often these deaths go unreported — or misreported.

According to her Facebook profile, Dominique was a fan of the TV show “Empire.” Friends are remembering her on their social media. Many have said how much they love and will miss her. Another shared, “Many don’t get to live in their authentic truth. You were fierce, glam, and hunny gorgeous! I love you now, tomorrow and forever.” PROMO, Missouri's statewide organization advocating for LGBTQ equality, shared on Facebook, “Our hearts are broken for Dominique, whose bright beautiful light was extinguished far too soon, and for her family facing this horrific tragedy.”

The high level of violence that transgender and gender non-conforming people continue to face is not acceptable. We must do more to end this violence. While details are still emerging, we’ve become aware that Dominique may have been killed by someone she knew. We must be able to trust those who are in our lives — otherwise, who can we trust? We need everyone to speak up and support trans lives at every level, from family conversations to legislative debates. Only then will we be able to eradicate stigma against transgender and gender non-conforming people, and end this violence.”

Tori Cooper, HRC Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative

HRC recorded 44 deaths of transgender and gender non-conforming people in 2020, more than in any year since we began tracking this violence in 2013.

According to local reports, the Springfield Police Department has identified and arrested a suspect in Dominique’s death. The investigation is ongoing, and police ask anyone who has information to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477).

Tragically, interpersonal violence accounts for a significant number of fatalities against transgender and gender non-conforming people. In 2020, approximately seven in ten transgender and gender non-conforming people killed as a result of fatal violence were killed by an acquaintance, friend, family member or intimate partner. Unfortunately, the relationship of the victim to the killer is still unknown for close to one-third (30%) of all known cases. This means that anywhere from 44% to 74% of victims since 2013 were violently killed by someone they knew, including intimate partners, family members, friends, peers and acquaintances.

Additionally, according to the 2015 United States Transgender Survey, 54% of transgender and non-binary people have experienced some form of intimate partner violence in their life. Last year, HRC released a report, titled “LGBTQ Intimate Partner Violence and COVID-19,” that details the increased risk of interpersonal violence faced by LGBTQ people, which is exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an injustice compounding this tragedy, Dominique was misnamed and misgendered in some media and police reports, although it appears that she did have her family’s support. Anti-transgender stigma is exacerbated by callous or disrespectful treatment by some in the media, law enforcement and elected offices. According to HRC research, it is estimated that approximately three-quarters of all known victims were misgendered by the media and/or by law enforcement. In the pursuit of greater accuracy and respect, HRC offers guidelines for journalists and others who report on transgender people. HRC, Media Matters and the Trans Journalists Association have also partnered on an FAQ for reporters writing about anti-trans violence.

At the state level, transgender and gender non-conforming people in Missouri are not explicitly protected from discrimination in employment, housing, education and public spaces. Missouri does have a hate crimes law that expressly addresses hate or bias crimes based on both sexual orientation and gender identity. While recent weeks have seen some gains that support and affirm transgender people, we are also currently facing anti-LGBTQ attacks at many levels of government, with more than 200 anti-LGBTQ bills under consideration in state legislatures across the country, more than 100 of which directly target transgender people.

We must demand better from our elected officials and reject harmful anti-transgender legislation at the local, state and federal levels, while also considering every possible way to make ending this violence a reality. It is clear that fatal violence disproportionately affects transgender women of color, especially Black transgender women. The intersections of racism, transphobia, sexism, biphobia and homophobia conspire to deprive them of necessities to live and thrive, so we must all work together to cultivate acceptance, reject hate and end stigma for everyone in the trans and gender non-conforming community.

In order to work towards this goal and combat stigma against transgender and non-binary people, HRC has collaborated with WarnerMedia on a PSA campaign to lift up their voices and stories. Learn more and watch the PSAs here.

For more information about HRC’s transgender justice work, visit hrc.org/transgender.