I don't like to talk about it, but this seems like an appropriate time to mention Ally Steinfeld, the girl who was tortured and burned in the yard next door to my friend's old farm. The burn pile is probably still there by the gravel road, and probably still being used for more benign reasons. I didn't know Ally, but knew Briana Calderas, one of the killers.
Talk about Missouri being a bad place to be trans.
I also knew a murderer. In a new neighborhood in the exurbs there were few kids my age. He was one. He had obvious problems (for instance he assaulted me a couple times) and I didn't stay in contact with him. As soon as I had other kids in bicycling distance, I dropped him as a friend.
Then 20 years later I'm watching a true crime show and I hear his name. I watch the screen and an image shows up that... yeah, that could be him as an adult. And they mention the towns involved, once was Portland, the other was the small town where I grew up.
It was him. This guy who I knew was bad news grew up to kill. I went through a period where I felt guilty for not saying enough at the time, but probably nothing I did could have stopped anything. (He also ratted out his co-murderer. In his story he wasn't the initiator of any of it, which might even be true, but who the fuck knows?) I don't feel guilty any more, but it's definitely weird to know that I slept over at a murderer's house when we were both kids.
Jeeze! That's really interesting in a very sad, unfortunate way. True crime shows aren't my thing but now I kinda wanna watch an episode that hits close to home like that.
bad things happen in the country when you're different.
that's not limited to Missouri, or even the US. I love the hills where I grew up but would never set foot there ever again because of the always present hostility.
Been following the Brianna story over here (UK). Since the killers' names and pictures have been released there are two sides in the coverage.
Tabloids are going the "Monsters", "Born Evil", "Devil Kids" route, downplaying the victim in a rush to add the killers to the true crime 'kids who kill' narrative.
Brianna's mother has been all over the Sunday news programmes trying to keep Brianna's life front and centrel. Though the media is mainly focusing on her calls to restrict under 16 social media usage.
Thank you for writing on this. I'm sure it wasn't easy. It is so necessary to push this information out to fight ignorance and thankfully there are people like you on the job. This piece was really hard for me because everything on this topic I view through the lens of the world that my young trans child is coming up into. ❣️
Yes, demand accountability for ourselves, and hope for mercy when we accept responsibility. Thank you for your reminder/rant that we all must strive to be our better selves. Peace and safety be with you, CD.
I am sitting here crying and I've been sitting with this stuff for hours trying to process it. I will say, though, that I'm not happy you need to be sad and angry, but I am happy to have you here with me.
you're the best, Crip. this needs to be plastered all over the innertubes.
I don't like to talk about it, but this seems like an appropriate time to mention Ally Steinfeld, the girl who was tortured and burned in the yard next door to my friend's old farm. The burn pile is probably still there by the gravel road, and probably still being used for more benign reasons. I didn't know Ally, but knew Briana Calderas, one of the killers.
Talk about Missouri being a bad place to be trans.
I also knew a murderer. In a new neighborhood in the exurbs there were few kids my age. He was one. He had obvious problems (for instance he assaulted me a couple times) and I didn't stay in contact with him. As soon as I had other kids in bicycling distance, I dropped him as a friend.
Then 20 years later I'm watching a true crime show and I hear his name. I watch the screen and an image shows up that... yeah, that could be him as an adult. And they mention the towns involved, once was Portland, the other was the small town where I grew up.
It was him. This guy who I knew was bad news grew up to kill. I went through a period where I felt guilty for not saying enough at the time, but probably nothing I did could have stopped anything. (He also ratted out his co-murderer. In his story he wasn't the initiator of any of it, which might even be true, but who the fuck knows?) I don't feel guilty any more, but it's definitely weird to know that I slept over at a murderer's house when we were both kids.
Jeeze! That's really interesting in a very sad, unfortunate way. True crime shows aren't my thing but now I kinda wanna watch an episode that hits close to home like that.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4923536/Death-transgender-teen-Missouri-surrounded-mystery.html
bad things happen in the country when you're different.
that's not limited to Missouri, or even the US. I love the hills where I grew up but would never set foot there ever again because of the always present hostility.
Been following the Brianna story over here (UK). Since the killers' names and pictures have been released there are two sides in the coverage.
Tabloids are going the "Monsters", "Born Evil", "Devil Kids" route, downplaying the victim in a rush to add the killers to the true crime 'kids who kill' narrative.
Brianna's mother has been all over the Sunday news programmes trying to keep Brianna's life front and centrel. Though the media is mainly focusing on her calls to restrict under 16 social media usage.
💜
Thank you for writing on this. I'm sure it wasn't easy. It is so necessary to push this information out to fight ignorance and thankfully there are people like you on the job. This piece was really hard for me because everything on this topic I view through the lens of the world that my young trans child is coming up into. ❣️
I’m holding you in my heart ❤️
I live mere blocks away from where Muhlaysia was found. Her murderer got 48 years.
Yes, demand accountability for ourselves, and hope for mercy when we accept responsibility. Thank you for your reminder/rant that we all must strive to be our better selves. Peace and safety be with you, CD.
This makes me sad and angry.
I am sitting here crying and I've been sitting with this stuff for hours trying to process it. I will say, though, that I'm not happy you need to be sad and angry, but I am happy to have you here with me.
Hugs friend.