American trans male whose 1993 murder sparked a national conversation about the treatment of trans people in America. His story gained increased exposure when it became the subject of the Oscar-winning 1999 film Boys Don't Cry.
He attended Pius X High School in Lincoln, Nebraska but was expelled three days prior to his graduation. He later moved to Richardson County, where he lived exclusively as a man.
Following his death, his mother successfully sued Richardson County and Sheriff Charles Laux for failing to protect him as well as being an indirect cause of his death.
He had an older sister named Tammy. His father passed away in a car accident eight months before his birth.
Hilary Swank won an Oscar for her portrayal of him in Boys Don't Cry.
