The Roots of TDoR | Rita Hester (1963-1998): Not Just Cistory
Content Warning: this post includes semi-graphic descriptions of violence against a Black trans woman, police incompetence, and transphobia, a second notice will be given at the second where these topics are discussed
Gwendolyn Anne Smith and Penni Ashe Matz created Transgender Day of Remembrance (frequently abbreviated as TDoR), but there is another woman to whom respect and honor is due on this day in particular. It was Rita Hester's death, and the reaction to it by both the general public and the LGBT+ community at large, that had that inspired the two activists to found the holiday which has been celebrated every year since 1998 (Riedel, 2022).
Part of my heart breaks to write about Rita Hester in the context of TDoR, as there is so much more to her than her death, as there is for any person. I will endeavor, as I always do, to share information about her than just the piece that she is most known for.
An Early Life of Love
Rita Hester was born on November 30th 1963 (Sosin, 2020). She'd be 61, almost 62 at the publication of this blog post, were she still alive. Even from a young age Hester was an individual who was very feminine. Her sister described Rita's identity as known and accepted by the entire extended family (Sosin, 2020). She was surrounded by love and acceptance from birth.
As Rita grew, however, it become more and more evident that Hartford, was not the place for her .As "a Black trans woman... [Hester] chafed against the expectations placed on her by her surroundings" (Riedel, 2022). "'In Hartford, people got assaulted and got hurt and all the other stuff'" (Sosin via Hester, 2020), and understandably, that was not an ideal living situation.
Like so many other trans folks both before and after her, she looked towards cities to find a more accepting atmosphere. "[A] hundred miles away in Boston, there were parties and rock clubs where it didn’t matter that she was trans" (Riedel, 2022) and, in Boston, Rita thrived.
Finding her Place and Spreading her Wings
Enamored with Boston's queer community, "In her early twenties, Hester moved north permanently to Boston’s Allston neighborhood" (Riedel, 2022). It was 1988 and the city was her oyster (McNaught, 1998, p. 25). Here she found a second family; one that spanned both the queer and straight communities.
A Boston Phoenix article published less an month after Rita's murder begins with "Hester's friends have different perceptions of what the 34- year-old was like, but they all agree on one thing: 'The girl could dance!' Hester, they recall, was an incredible entertainer whose dance shows... [from] four years ago are still talked about. Glossy black waist-length braids. Voluptuous candy-apple-red lips and eyelashes so long they could almost create a breeze. Hester was six foot two and weighed about 200 pounds, but her friends say she was as agile as a tiny dancer. And she lit up a room with her warm, boisterous greetings"(McNaught, 1998, p. 21). Her friends said that "Hester lived large and loved big" (Sosin, 2020). Given how she was remembered by her community, it is clear that Hester was a vibrant soul that brought so much life and joy to the communities that she was a part of.
Living her own Life
Rita did not let herself be confined to the queer bars and clubs of Boston; she patronized bars in both the 'straight' and 'queer' parts of Boston. "One of Hester’s friends in Boston, Jessica Piper, remembered her as the only link between the city’s queer bars and the decidedly hetero nightlife uptown. 'The other queens wouldn’t go out to Allston from fear...and the straight Allston kids didn’t want to go to downtown queen bars' (Riedel, 2022)". Hester did not limit herself in how or where she could enjoy life, and undoubtedly, her life was richer for it.
Hester having a foot in each world was worrying to those closest to her in the trans community. They understood that Rita, while pretty, vivacious, and friendly, she was not entirely safe in the world that so rigidly adhered to the gender binary and cissexual expectations (Sosin, 2020). It was at one of these straight bars that she met her best friend; Brenda Wynne. She was "a white cis woman who called Rita her 'best friend in life'... [and they] shared a deep bond..." (Riedel, 2022). It was not all danger and ostracization from those that lived in the 'straight world', Rita found connections and community there as well.
Hester lived her life on her own terms, earning money as a sex worker and a dancer (McNaught, 1998, p. 23). Rita was also "deeply embedded in the city's rock scene" (Sosin, 2020) and "[she went] from attending shows in rock clubs to performing and dancing in them" (Reidel). She was so talented, that she performed internationally, traveling as far as Greece and Germany to dance (McNaught, 1998, p. 25). Rita was a talented woman, and was able to make a living off of her skills as a performer.
Her Life Cut Short
Content Warning: this next part includes semi-graphic descriptions of violence against a Black trans woman, police incompetence, and transphobia
The first to notice that things were not as they should be on the day that Hester was murdered were those closest to her. Friends, one of whom was Wynne, realized that Rita wasn't meeting up with them, as planned (Sosin, 2020). Later that evening, Hester was seen to have had "an altercation with a man at the bar who followed her out when she left.... others report[ed] that Hester went from Silhouettes to the Kells before going home. According to neighbors, two men were seen coming out the back door of Hester's apartment later that night" (McNaught, 1998, p. 25). Some of those in Rita's community and were concerned about things they saw happening that night, though they could not have known what the larger context and danger were.
The information from the police and their response is detailed and clear, but gives no answers, and little context. "Officers responded to a call about a fight at Rita's address at 6:12 p.m... and were dispatched 7 minutes later... When they found Hester, she was still alive on the floor. She had been stabbed repeatedly in the chest... More than an hour passed between the time police were dispatched and an ambulance took her to Beth Israel Hospital, where she died of cardiac arrest" (Sosin, 2020). The scene itself is almost too horrible to imagine. There had to have been blood everywhere, not to mention Rita was still fighting for her life, even if the attacker had fled.
While the police report does acknowledge that she was stabbed repeatedly, but what it leaves out is that "a brutal stabbing of this nature is evidence of a very personal killing" (Munroe, 2015). Was the killer a client of Rita's, or someone she knew personally? Evidence suggests that it was someone who knew Rita, since "there was no evidence of forced entry and nothing was stolen" (Munroe, 2015). Clearly, robbery wasn't the motive, and she must have let them in.
Then, there's the fact that Rita was a transgender woman. "Such frenzied damage is a common feature in many murders of transwomen, usually indicating shame and other emotional turmoil on the part of the killer" (Munroe, 2015). The earliest information made public about her murder would have left you not knowing that the murder victim was a transgender woman, unless you knew Rita personally.
The first to notice that things were not as they should be on the day that Hester was murdered were those closest to her. Friends, one of whom was Wynne, realized that Rita wasn't meeting up with them, as planned (Sosin, 2020). Later that evening, Hester was seen to have had "an altercation with a man at the bar who followed her out when she left.... others report[ed] that Hester went from Silhouettes to the Kells before going home. According to neighbors, two men were seen coming out the back door of Hester's apartment later that night" (McNaught, 1998, p. 25). Some of those in Rita's community and were concerned about things they saw happening that night, though they could not have known what the larger context and danger were.
The information from the police and their response is detailed and clear, but gives no answers, and little context. "Officers responded to a call about a fight at Rita's address at 6:12 p.m... and were dispatched 7 minutes later... When they found Hester, she was still alive on the floor. She had been stabbed repeatedly in the chest... More than an hour passed between the time police were dispatched and an ambulance took her to Beth Israel Hospital, where she died of cardiac arrest" (Sosin, 2020). The scene itself is almost too horrible to imagine. There had to have been blood everywhere, not to mention Rita was still fighting for her life, even if the attacker had fled.
While the police report does acknowledge that she was stabbed repeatedly, but what it leaves out is that "a brutal stabbing of this nature is evidence of a very personal killing" (Munroe, 2015). Was the killer a client of Rita's, or someone she knew personally? Evidence suggests that it was someone who knew Rita, since "there was no evidence of forced entry and nothing was stolen" (Munroe, 2015). Clearly, robbery wasn't the motive, and she must have let them in.
Then, there's the fact that Rita was a transgender woman. "Such frenzied damage is a common feature in many murders of transwomen, usually indicating shame and other emotional turmoil on the part of the killer" (Munroe, 2015). The earliest information made public about her murder would have left you not knowing that the murder victim was a transgender woman, unless you knew Rita personally.
Media Misstep
The news coverage about Rita Hester's murder followed the pattern that many of us are familiar with. Her gender, name, and pronouns were not reported on correctly. In short, her identity was not respected, and that aspect of the crime was lost in the reporting. It was initially reported that " a man who was also a transvestite had been stabbed to death" (Nangeroni, 1999).
Boston Globe reported Daniel Vasquez described Hester in an article "as a 'nightclub singer and a party-thrower, a man who sported long braids and preferred women’s clothes.' He also referred to 'Hester’s apparent double life,' and used male references for Rita throughout the story" (Nangeroni, 1999). It was clear that the media and police force were not interested in who Rita was, and how that may factor into her killing.
There was an article written for The Boston Pheonix soon after Hester's murder, remarking on the outcry about the incorrect description of Hester in the media. The article's author quotes multiple people who insist that the murder is more important than how she was described in the media immediately after her death. One of which particularly leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Jeff Epperly, the then editor of Bay Windows was quoted saying that "he too, believes the main issue is that someone was brutally murdered" (McNaught, 1998, p. 23). On the surface this makes sense, and I agree. Her being killed, and the killer going without being caught is a big issue. However, his quote continues with "'If we were writing a feature piece, we would go with [the gender identification] the subject wanted... but this is the news, and we have to deal with the facts. And the fact, according to police records is that the victim was biologically a male'"(McNaught, 1998, p. 23). This, to me, is a frustratingly uncritical way to look at the press surrounding Rita Hester's murder.
Now, I don't know Mr. Epperly, and I have used this new article as a source in this blog post beyond this part, because I do believe that it is a useful contemporary source. However, it is a perfect example of the lack of respect afforded to trans people, particularly trans women, and trans folks of color who tragically make up the majority of trans folks who are attacked and killed in the United States each year (Sosin, 2020). If we cannot do something as simple as describe the victims accurately then what hope is there for getting them justice? Yes, solving the crime of her murder is important, but Rita Hester also deserves to be respected and described as who she was, and not by the assumptions made by the police, and then parroted and defended by the media.
Transgender Day of Remembrance & Recent Years
On the one year anniversary of Rita Hester's death, a handful of Transgender activists joined together to remember and name all of the transgender individuals who were murdered in the past year. This was the first Trans Day of Remembrance.
Many folks who were aware of other anti LGBT+ hate crimes and murders and their victims could not name Rita herself (Smith, 2012). The founders of TDoR, as well as Hester's family and community felt that the public's response reflected the "disregard police and media show for Black transgender murder victims" (Bedford & Sosin, 2023). Rita deserved to be remembered correctly and respected, as do all transgender individuals.
In 2023 a new detective was assigned to Hester's case, and on the 28th of November of that year, they renewed their search for her killer (Bedford & Sosin, 2023). This time Rita's name and identity will be respected during the investigation. This is good news as "The average clearance rate for murders with transgender victims from 2010 through 2020 was about 48%, ...The national average murder clearance for that same time period was roughly 62%...[and] The disparity is even greater in cases where police have deadnamed or misgendered victims" (Lantz via Bedford & Sosin, 2023). We can only hope that with the correct questions being asked, some answers will be found, and some closure, if there is any to be had, can be given to Hester's family and loved ones.
Remembrance is Necessary: Conclusion
Rita Hester was a vibrant, talented woman, who lived her own life to the fullest, and should have been been able to live a long and fulfilling life. She was brutally murdered by someone who knew her, and hated her, most likely simply for being transgender. Then, in the wake of her death, she was disrespected repeatedly not only by those who reported on the crime that ended her life, but also those that were supposed to be solving the crime.
Today, Rita's legacy lives on in the lives she touched, but also in Trans Day of Remembrance. We remember those who have died from violence against trans people. The remembering is an essential part of the work that we do to work to create a better future. We cannot build something new if we don't understand where we have come from.
The original painting featured in this blog is available for purchase, and Rita Hester, and her story, are featured in the first collection of my Ancestor Cards.
NOTE! Some links (those with an * next to the name) are affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you use these links to purchase something. It will not change the price of the product for you.
References
Bedford, T., & Sosin, K. (2023, December 4). Boston police recommit to solving murder of Rita Hester, whose death inspired Transgender Day of Remembrance. GBH. https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2023-12-04/boston-police-recommit-to-solving-murder-of-rita-hester-whose-death-inspired-transgender-day-of-remembrance
McNaught, S. (1998, December 11). Displaced Anger: Is Rita Hester’s murder being eclipsed by the transgender community’s grammatical agenda? The Boston Phoenix December, 21, 23, 25. https://ia601809.us.archive.org/19/items/sim_boston-phoenix_december-11-17-1998_27_50/sim_boston-phoenix_december-11-17-1998_27_50.pdf
Munro, D. (2015, November 19). Grieving lives lost without reason on Transgender Day of Remembrance. WHYY. https://whyy.org/articles/grieving-lives-lost-without-reason-on-transgender-day-of-remembrance/
Nangeroni, N. (2025). Rita Hester’s Murder and the Language of Respect | GenderTalk. Gendertalk.com. https://www.gendertalk.com/language-of-respect/
Riedel, S. (2022, March 31). Remembering Rita Hester, Who Changed What It Means to Remember Trans Lives. Them. https://www.them.us/story/rita-hester-trans-remembrance-visibility-memorial
Smith, G. A. (2012, November 20). Transgender Day Of Remembrance: Why We Remember. HuffPost; Huffington Post. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/transgender-day-of-remembrance-why-we-remember_b_2166234
Sosin, K. (2020, July 17). Her death sparked Transgender Day of Remembrance. 22 years later, still no answers. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/her-death-sparked-transgender-day-remembrance-22-years-later-still-n1233809
