A Banko Project Initiative

TRACKING
FATAL
VIOLENCE

The first comprehensive list of transmasculine homicide victims in the United States — documenting lives lost from 1942 to the present, and building a research record that has never existed before.

70+

Victims Documented

1942

Earliest Case

States + Puerto Rico

Submit a Name About the Project

A Working Definition

WHO IS
TRANSMASCULINE?

"Transmasculine" refers to people who are assigned female at birth but identify as masculine or are read as masculine by others.

This project uses an expansive definition because violence does not track neatly along identity categories.

This list includes people who identified as or were read as

transgender men, nonbinary people, butches, studs, lesbians, women, two-spirit people, trans people, and heterosexual people — anyone assigned female at birth who identified as masculine or was perceived as masculine.

About

THE
PROJECT

This project aims to develop the first list of transmasculine homicide victims in the United States. The goal is to further academic understanding of the prevalence of transmasculine homicide and analyze trends in victimization.

This list has a different scope than existing trans homicide lists, such as the Human Rights Campaign's annual lists. It includes victims across gender categories — people who identified as women, nonbinary, and trans/transgender — because what they shared was that they were perceived as masculine.

The list currently includes over 70 victims from 1942 to the present. Most were found in press and media archives, major trans homicide lists, academic work, documentaries, and word of mouth. The dataset is currently private but may eventually be made public — submissions should be made with that in mind.

About the Researcher

SAM
BROOKS

Institution Rutgers University

Program PhD Candidate, Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Certificate Graduate Certificate in Africana Studies

Project Founded 2021

Sam Brooks is a PhD candidate at Rutgers University whose scholarly and organizing work centers the intersection of gender, carceral systems, and transmasculine precarity. Sam began the Transmasculine Homicide Project in 2021 to address a gap that existing trans homicide lists had not filled — the systematic documentation of violence against people who are transmasculine, broadly defined.

Sam holds a Graduate Certificate in Africana Studies from Rutgers and is the co-founder of the Banko Project, a national initiative generating narrative and research about transmasculinity. Their work is driven by a commitment to transmasculine liberation from systems of violence and unfreedom — and a belief that documentation is a form of witness.

For research inquiries, collaboration, or questions about the project, reach out directly.

sam.brooks@rutgers.edu

Common Questions

FAQ

Is there a year limit for the list?

No. The oldest case currently on the list is from 1942. If you know of a victim from the distant past, please submit them.

Does the list include victims killed in Puerto Rico?

Yes. Please submit these names.

I'm not sure if the person was actually murdered. Should I still submit?

Yes. Submit the victim and note the uncertainty. If the official ruling was a suicide or accident but you suspect homicide, submit anyway — further research will be done to determine whether the case can be included.

What about victims from outside the United States?

Victims from outside the US are outside the current scope of the list, but you are welcome to submit them. Their information will be stored for future research.

What will the information I submit be used for?

The information will be used for academic research. The intent is to bring awareness to victims and learn from their tragedies. While the dataset is currently private, it may eventually be made public — expect submitted information to potentially become public. If there are details you want to share privately, note that in your submission or send a direct email.

Can I submit anonymously?

Absolutely. All fields on the submission form are optional, including your name and email.

You might already know about this person — should I still submit?

Yes, please submit anyway. Your information may add details not yet in the record.

I have more questions.

Contact the project directly at sam.brooks@rutgers.edu

Help Build the Record

SUBMIT
A NAME

If you know of a transmasculine or gender-nonconforming person who was killed, please submit their information below. All fields are optional. You can submit anonymously.

About the Victim

First Name partial or nickname is fine

Last Name

Sex Assigned at Birth male, female, or intersex

Gender Identity e.g. trans man, butch, nonbinary, stud

Date of Birth or Age guesses or ranges are fine

Sexuality if known

Race select all that apply

Black or African American Indigenous American or Alaska Native Latine (Latino/Latina/Latinx) Asian White or Caucasian Middle Eastern or North African Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Victim's Bio where they grew up, profession, community, hobbies — anything

Why do you consider this person transmasculine? required for inclusion

About the Homicide

Date of Death exact, approximate, or year

Location of Homicide

Circumstances of the Homicide

About You

Your Relationship to the Victim optional

How did you hear about the project?

Anything else you want to share?

Are you open to being contacted? required

Your Email skip if anonymous

To share a photo of the victim, email it directly to sam.brooks@rutgers.edu

TRACKINGFATALVIOLENCE

WHO ISTRANSMASCULINE?

THEPROJECT

SAMBROOKS

FAQ