#But briannas death

[caesthoffe]

One of our siblings was murdered recently, and you need to know about it.

TW // transphobia and violence against trans people

Brianna Ghey was a 16-year-old trans girl from Warrington, England. On Saturday, February 11th 2023, Brianna was found dead on the side of a park with multiple stab wounds. Two 15-year-olds have been taken into custody in connection with her murder.

People in the Warrington area have alleged that Brianna was being bullied in school, and that neither the administration nor the police did anything.

Despite this, local police have said there is no evidence that the attack was hate-based and most news articles don't mention her status as a trans woman. This is deliberate. This is genocide by the hands of transphobes and TERFs.

Britain does not have gender self-identification (your legal gender being determined by how you identify and not any arbitrary medical requirements), meaning even in her death she will be deadnamed and misgendered on her death certificate.

She deserved so much better.

Mourn the dead, and fight like hell for the living.

EDIT: A verified GoFundMe has been set up for Brianna.

[our-trans-youth-experience]

Rest in Power, Nex Benedict

A 16 year old kid who loved nature and looking after their cat Zeus. Who enjoyed reading, watching the Walking Dead, and playing Ark and Minecraft. They loved to cook and would often make up their own recipes. They did well in school, being a straight-A student. Rest in power a teen who was human and had interests and ambitions and challenges and friendships. A trans youth who was brutally murdered just for being trans, when that was only a fragment of who they were as a person.

Nex Benedict, Jacob Williamson, Brianna Ghey, and other trans youth like them were real people with real lives. They deserved better, longer, happier lives. They deserved to grow up and not fear for their lives. They deserve to be remembered as who they were, not just as another trans kid who was killed, as people with families and normal human lives.

[hecateisalesbian]

I will not let anyone forget.

Also a flag I made during these times. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🇵🇸

[themusicsweetly]

All the time the ghosts flit past and through us, hiding in the future.  We look in the mirror and see the shades of other faces looking back through the years; we see the shape of memory, standing solid in an empty doorway.  By blood and by choice, we make our ghosts; we haunt ourselves.

[queerwelsh]

Vigils for Brianna Ghey in Wales:

Wednesday 15th February - Queens Square, Wrexham at 5pm

Wednesday 15th February - Castle Square, Swansea at 6pm

Thursday 16th February - Tree of Life outside National Museum Cardiff, 7pm

Friday 17th February - Meet at Fulton House, Swansea at 4:45pm

Friday 17th February - Aberystwyth Bandstand at 6pm

[antifainternational]

Here is a list of planned vigils across the UK in memory of Brianna Ghey and the countless other trans lives stolen by violence and oppression. 16-year old Brianna Ghey was murdered this weekend in Warrington, UK.

[poizonedapplez]

Some doodles for style practice for the wonderful Death Note Diaries AU and to fill up my sketchbook

[theessayboy]

I realise I haven't talked much about trans stuff on here, but this is important.

WARNING: I will be talking about the murder of trans teen Brianna Ghey, so if that makes you uncomfortable then just don't read this

Brianna Ghey's killers- have finally been named as Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe. Jenkinson has been sentenced to 22 years in prison and Ratcliffe 20. The actual murder took place on the 12th February 2023. (I would write the short date but then Americans would think I meant the 2nd of November). At the time of the murder, Brianna's killers were both 15 (they're 16 now) and Brianna was 16. They had been close friends since they were 11. They had a kill list of 4 people. Unfortunately, Brianna made friends with Scarlett. This caused her to come to the top of their list. On the 11th February 2023, Brianna agreed to meet Scarlett in culcheth linear park. When she arrived, Eddie and Scarlett stabbed her at the same time. One of them stabbed her in the stomach and the other stabbed her in the back. They stabbed her more times afterwards before running away. At first, the media attempted to convince people that the motive for murder was Scarlett's serial killer obsession. Now, however, it has been understood that her murder was a transphobic hate crime. I remember hearing it mentioned on the radio once. We had a conversation that went something like this:

Me (having researched the case)- I've heard quite a lot about that case

My mum- yeah it's been on the news a lot

Sister- what happened?

Me- a girl called Brianna was killed for being trans

My mum- it turns out it's not actually to do with them being trans

I remember hearing wanting desperately to tell my mum that a) she should not be using they/them pronouns for a dead trans person who used she/her pronouns because it's kinda fucked up misgendering a dead girl and b) her death was because of transphobia. You can argue that it was because of a serial killer obsession as much as you like but there was a reason that she was at the top of their kill list and that reason is that she was trans. Trans people are dying. Don't you dare to try and feed me any of your transphobic bullshit. Things are not ok.

Thank you for reading to the end. To all of the non cis people reading this, I'm really proud of you and I love you. Keep going. It will get better <3

[coochiequeens]

Critically-acclaimed transgender horror author hails Osama bin Laden's 'principled' destruction of Twin Towers - months after sharing her desire to slit JK Rowling's throat

Gretchen Felker-Martin, a well-known transgender horror author and journalist, tweeted on Thursday that she admired bin Laden for the 9/11 attacks

Felker-Martin, who in February declared that she wanted to slit JK Rowling's throat, later deleted the tweet and apologized

Bin Laden has returned to public consciousness this week thanks to TikTok users suddenly 'discovering' his 2002 'Letter to America' justifying 9/11 

By HARRIET ALEXANDER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 22:56 EST, 17 November 2023 | UPDATED: 23:32 EST, 17 November 2023

A transgender horror author who sparked outrage earlier this year by threatening to slit JK Rowling's throat has hailed Osama bin Laden's destruction of the Twin Towers.

Gretchen Felker-Martin on Thursday joined in the chorus of admiration for the al-Qaeda leader, sparked by TikTokers suddenly 'discovering' his rational for 9/11.

The Massachusetts-based author wrote on X, where she has 30,000 followers: 'Can pretty safely state that bin Laden and I did not, uh, agree on much, but blowing up the World Trade Center is probably the most principled and defensible thing he did.'

Bin Laden's 2002 'Letter to America' has been circulating widely this week, in the midst of the Israel-Hamas war.

TikTok users say that bin Laden opened their eyes to American foreign policy and taught them valuable lessons about global geopolitics. The revival in interest, and ignorance of bin Laden's ideas, have caused shock and anger.

Felker-Martin on Friday deleted the tweet, and apologized. She previously shared her desire to cut JK Rowling's throat over the Harry Potter author's stance on transgender issues.

Gretchen Felker-Martin posted, then deleted, a tweet praising Osama bin Laden

The other day in a moment of distress I talked out my ass to play devil's advocate in a tasteless, needless way,' she tweeted. 

'I sincerely regret it, and I apologize to anyone hurt or offended by my thoughtless words.'

But one X user pointed out that she had praised bin Laden in the past.

He cited Felker-Martin's August 2020 tweet, justifying the September 11 attacks.

'The huge crime of 9/11 is that the s*** we do every day overseas gets done to us exactly once,' she said. 

The revival of the 2002 document has bemused and enraged many. 

The White House expressed dismay at the resurgence of interest in the letter.

'There is never a justification for spreading the repugnant, evil, and antisemitic lies that the leader of al Qaeda issued just after committing the worst terrorist attack in American history – highlighting them as his direct motivation for murdering 2,977 innocent Americans,' said Andrew Bates, a spokesman for the White House.

'And no one should ever insult the 2,977 American families still mourning loved ones by associating themselves with the vile words of Osama bin Laden.

'Particularly now, at a time of rising antisemitic violence in the world, and just after Hamas terrorists carried out the worst slaughter of the Jewish people since the Holocaust in the name of the same conspiracy theories.

'Like President Biden said this year in remembrance of the Americans who lost their lives because of Osama bin Laden, 'it's more important now than ever that we come together' against a 'rising tide of hatred and extremism.''

TikTok said they will be removing all content invoking the letter. 

'Content promoting this letter clearly violates our rules on supporting any form of terrorism,' TikTokPolicy wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter.

'We are proactively and aggressively removing this content and investigating how it got onto our platform.'

The video-sharing platform claims the number of videos on TikTok is 'small' and 'reports of it trending [on the] platform is inaccurate.'  

'This is not unique to TikTok and has appeared across multiple platforms and the media,' the post added.

Videos with the hashtag 'LettertoAmerica' have been viewed 7.3 million times. 

Extraordinarily the majority are claiming support for bin Laden's reasoning - without a thought for the freedoms he criticizes.

The letter began to gain traction online after UK newspaper The Guardian linked to a 2002 article, which translated it in full, in a piece about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. 

It was subsequently deleted, with the outlet explaining to DailyMail.com that it was being shared 'without its original context.' 

The letter continued to spread on X but was prevented from spreading on Reddit. 

The Guardian did not explain further as to how the link was made between the current conflict in the Middle East and a verbatim letter from bin Laden that was more than 20 years old. 

The link to the letter spread, with hundreds of TikTokers posting videos in response to reading it, in which they appear to confuse the hateful diatribe for an intellectual think piece. 

The letter was originally posted with an article explaining that the original version was in Arabic in a website used by al-Qaeda to 'disseminate messages and 'was sent to hundreds of subscribers to an email list run by Mohammed al-Massari, the UK-based Saudi Arabian dissident.' 

The message added that the US government was included on the list.  

The various trending videos about the letter include no context around bin Laden's life as a jihadist. 

In other sections of his correspondence, bin Laden blames the US government for spreading AIDS throughout the world, described homosexuality as 'immoral' and sought to turn America into an oppressive religious state similar to Afghanistan.

The trend appears to have started with TikToker Lynette Adkins who posted a video on November 14. 

'I need everyone to stop what they're doing right now and go read - it's literally two pages - go read 'A Letter to America,'' she said.

In his infamous letter, Bin Laden ranted that the treatment of Palestinian people had to be 'revenged' and expressed justifications for the killing of civilians in the name of jihad. 

Bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALs in a raid on his compound in Pakistan in May 2011. 

'The American people are the ones who pay the taxes which fund the planes that bomb us in Afghanistan, the tanks that strike and destroy our homes in Palestine, the armies which occupy our lands in the Arabian Gulf, and the fleets which ensure the blockade of Iraq,' bin Laden wrote. 

For this reason, the Saudi Arabian terrorist wrote, all Americans and Jewish people were culpable for 'the crimes committed by the Americans and Jews against [Muslims].'

Bin Laden wrote that AIDS was a 'Satanic American Invention' and repeatedly made anti-Semitic remarks including suggesting that American society was infiltrated by Jewish people who 'control your policies, media and economy.' 

Felker-Martin is no stranger to courting controversy.  

Earlier this year, named a series of writers she accused of transphobia - including Rowling - in a tweet sent on February 12. 

She added: 'If they all had one throat, man.'

She had earlier decried the murder of British transgender teenager Brianna Ghey 16, and suggested Rowling and her ilk had stoked violence which led to the killing.

Another writer she railed against, journalist Jesse Singal, condemned Felker-Martin for making the death threat, and said she has a long history of making threats of violence. 

In Felker-Martin's debut novel, Manhunt, published in February 2022, Rowling is murdered by being burned alive. 

The book is promoted as 'an explosive post-apocalyptic novel that follows trans women and trans men on a grotesque journey of survival.' It has been lauded as 'visceral' 'gripping' and 'brilliant' by NPR and the New Yorker. 

Felker-Martin's tweet - which she has now deleted - came shortly before she joined 180 activists in signing a letter to The New York Times attacking their coverage of transgender issues, which has seen the paper examine whether young children should be given puberty blockers, or gender reassignment surgery.

Rowling has shared similar views, and also questioned whether trans women should be allowed access to some female-only spaces such as prisons, domestic abuse shelters, or sporting contests.  

[nixthemagicdragon]

Transphobia kills

This is the first time I'm going serious, but I feel like I need to do this.

In a world where acceptance should reign supreme, the stories of Nex Benedict, Brianna Ghey, and Jacob Williamson are a powerful reminder of the grim reality faced by many who dare to live as their true selves. Their lives, though cut short, carry a deep message that speaks to the fundamental right of every individual to be recognized, respected, and loved for who they are.

Nex Benedict, Brianna Ghey, and Jacob Williamson, like countless others, bravely embraced their true selves despite the societal pressures and prejudices that sought to constrain them. They stood tall in the face of adversity and defiantly challenged the narrow-mindedness and bigotry that infects our communities. Tragically, their journeys were cut short by transphobia - a force that continues to claim lives and shatter dreams.

Their stories are a powerful reminder that the fight for equality and acceptance is far from over. Transphobia, in all its forms, is a plague that not only threatens the lives of transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people, but also undermines the very foundation of our society. It fuels fear, division and injustice, creating barriers to understanding and compassion where empathy and solidarity should flourish.

We live in a world where celebrating authenticity in theory is often condemned in practice - a world where the mere act of being oneself can be met with hostility and violence. It's a sobering reality that demands our collective attention and action. We cannot afford to remain passive bystanders in the face of such injustice. The deaths of Nex Benedict, Brianna Ghey, and Jacob Williamson serve as a call to action - a call to dismantle the systemic inequalities and prejudices that continue to plague our society. It is up to each of us to challenge the status quo, to confront discrimination and hate wherever it manifests, and to create a world in which every individual can live freely and fully without fear of oppression or persecution.

Most importantly, we must never forget the lives and legacies of those lost to transphobia. We must honor their memory by continuing the work they started - by standing up for justice, equality and human rights for all. Nex Benedict, Brianna Ghey, and Jacob Williamson may no longer be with us, but their spirit lives on in the struggle for a more just and equitable world.

Transphobia kills, and that's not okay. But together, through our collective action and unwavering solidarity, we can strive to create a world where love prevails over hate, and where all people are free to live authentically, without fear or prejudice. This is the legacy we must honor. This is the future we must build.

[caesthoffe]

An Update on Brianna Ghey

tw // extreme transphobia, hate crime, violent death, death of a child

If you're unfamiliar with Brianna Ghey, you can read up on the story here or watch this overview. There's been multiple updates, and I wanted to let people know about the most important ones.

On February 4th 2024, the two originally unnamed teenagers— the 16-year-old boy now identified as Eddie Ratcliffe, and 16-year-old girl now identified as Scarlett Jenkinson —have been sentenced to life in prison for the fatal stabbing of Brianna (x).

On the day of her murder, February 11th 2023, Brianna took the No 28 bus at around 2pm to meet up with Jenkinson (who brought Ratcliffe along without Brianna's knowledge). The two led her to a path on Culcheth Linear Park, where she was stabbed to death with a hunting knife (x) that Ratcliffe provided. Although both parties would later blame the other in court, it's important to note that Ratcliffe was the only one with blood found on his clothes. Brianna was stabbed a total of 28 times in her head, neck, chest, and back (x). Not long after, Jenkinson posted this to her snapchat account.

Her murder was premeditated weeks in advance (x), with the pair plotting their attack against Brianna (x), who was anxious and rarely went out alone. They'd previously attempted to kill her before, although those plans ended up failing (x).

Prior to her murder, she'd sent a message to her mother saying "I'm on the bus by myself. I'm scared." To which her mother had replied that she was proud of her attempt at going out alone. Unfortunately, Brianna never got to read that text.

Thousands of text messages have leaked from the two killers, where Ratcliffe misgenders and demeans Brianna, and Jenkinson details her obsession with Brianna.

➡ When Jenkinson sent Ratcliffe some selfies of Brianna, he replied, "Is it a femboy or a tranny?"

➡ After Jenkinson expressed that she thought Brianna was prettier than her, Ratcliffe had said, "Prettier but it's a boy."

➡ Jenkinson had texted him on Whatsapp, "I'm obsessed over someone I know but don't have feelings for them... She's called Brianna... I don't know how to explain. She looks like a girl, she sounds like a girl, she's really pretty." To which Ratcliffe replied, "Tell me what you feel when you interact with it. I don't think you're necessarily in love but I think you're more curious and intrigued by its unnatural nature." (x)

➡ After their initial attempt to kill a different student failed, Jenkinson suggested that they stab Brianna instead. Ratcliffe agreed, saying "Yeah, it'll be easier and I want to see if it will scream like a man or girl."

➡ Jenkinson discussed wanting to take Brianna's "pretty" eyes as trophies, and Ratcliffe said "Really all I want to see is what size dick it had."

➡ During the trial, when asked by the prosecutor why he used the terms "it" instead of "she" for Brianna, he said that it was a "joke" and that he had picked it up from other people.

Despite all of this, Cheshire police are still adamant that Brianna's murder was not motivated by transphobia (x), because "...If it hadn't been Brianna, it would have been one of the other four children on that list." This is further corroborated by Detective Inspector Nigel Parr of Cheshire Constabulary, who led the investigation. Outside the court, he claimed that "this was a senseless murder committed by two teenagers who had an obsession with murder, whose only motivation in killing Brianna was to experience what this would be like." (x)

The headteacher of Birchwood Community High School has claimed that she spoke to Brianna's mom who "confirmed that Brianna was not bullied at Birchwood and always felt well supported by the school," and that Brianna's mother had given her permission to share that (x). This is despite multiple of Brianna's friends, and Brianna herself (x), saying the opposite (x).

The two killers are eligible for parole in 20 and 22 years. I can only hope they atone for the harm they've caused Brianna's family, the trans community, and everyone else affected.

I hope one day we can live in a world where being trans isn't a death sentence. Where major news outlets can report on trans victims with respect (x). Where anti-trans hatred spewed by TERFs and radfems, right wing politicians and conservative talk show hosts no longer hold such an influence in the world.

We will be able to live as ourselves one day. Without fear. I just wish Brianna could be here to see it.

[flowercrowncrip]

Fuck this country.

Brianna Ghey deserved better. She deserved a full and happy life. Her friends and family deserved to watch her grow up. They all deserved so many more memories together.

I didn’t have the privilege of meeting Brianna, and I don’t know her circumstances or what precisely lead to her murder. But I do know that young trans people in this country are being severely let down, and I know that the impact of Brianna’s death will be felt across the UK and beyond.

I’m a youth worker with a local queer organisation. The young trans people we work with are carrying so much more than any young person should be. They’re constantly being let down by schools, by doctors, by family members, by social workers and by and all of the adults who should be supporting them to live their best lives. I’ve seen young people full of so much potential fall out of mainstream education because of bullying that isn’t addressed by schools, or in some cases legitimised by transphobic adults in positions of power. Even the most supported and loved young people are dealing with so much.

And these young people see how the media talks about them. They see how hard people are trying to prevent them accessing medical care, legal recognition, and to make it impossible for them to just getting on with their lives. And it affects every single one of them.

And at the end of the day, they’re just kids. They make TikTok's, they create art, they tell jokes and dye their hair and play video games. They’re having their first relationships and figuring out who they want to be. They do homework and revise for exams. That’s all these young people are asking for – the chance to be a kid on their own terms. And currently in the UK they don’t get that.

[hecateisalesbian]

Two trans teenagers deaths. This is the future that our world is creating. Protect children until it’s children you believe don’t deserve to live. News outlets and social media is quieting the deaths of these two souls. Leaving out details and fabricating lies. Yell their names to everyone who will listen. Nex Benedict and Brianna Ghey.

[ladywynneoutlander]

Thoughts on 703 - Death Be Not Proud

Jumping right in to episode three. The story is flying along, but with so much to cover I can see why. It makes me glad to know there is one more season on the way.

What a thrill to see Jemmy's box arrive.

The 1980's look really great onscreen. Honestly I don't remember people in the US looking so nice and cozy. My parents forced us into loud geometric prints, but I digress. : ) This show must be a literal dream for the set designers, costume designers, hair, and makeup artists that get to recreate so many different eras.

I'm glad they expanded on the house fire scene. It needed it for clarity as to what exactly happened and as to who exactly died (i.e. all the bandits). The fire itself was a true spectacle, and very moving. It was fitting for the importance of the event in terms of character's lives, story moving forward, and the settling of the newspaper article plot that brought Bree to the 18th century way back in season 4. "Bloody newspapers. Never get anything right." Good job Brianna. Mission accomplished.

The aftermath of the fire is a visual that struck me. Love amidst ruin.

Mr. Bug speaks at last. I am glad that the Bugs were finally fleshed out as characters, and tie-ins to the Rising are always interesting. These connections past to present give the story so much depth. However, they did leave out some of Mr. Bug's personal vendetta against Jamie's family, and I was a little confused about why he thought he and Mrs. Bug deserved the gold.

The moment of Mrs. Bug encouraging and supporting Arch was simply lovely. It highlighted the complexity of the situation and was completely necessary for what comes next to have the impact it deserved.

Ian, poor lad. I'm not getting into the plot holes here. Ignoring "what ifs" for the sake of time and sanity.

The funeral. Caitriona Balfe really did sing the Ave Maria. She has such a beautiful voice!

Mr. Bug's face as he laid Murdina to rest was enough to break your heart; and then moments later, his face as he threatened Ian was enough to chill it. Wow.

It was a minor thing but I liked the slight drizzle throughout the episode, especially the funeral. So appropriate. I wonder if they created it or just went with the weather?

I love Jamie's dream. How special, and this one confirmed he truly has a connection with the future.

Adso, dearest, you represent the Ridge. This made me hate so much that Claire has to leave her home. As excited as I am for what is to come, I was almost angry at Jamie for making her go.

Finally, the little transitional pictures are perfect emotional cues. I know it is a really tiny detail, but I noticed them this episode particularly. They set the scenes, make everything flow, and reinforce the scenic beauty that has been part of Outlander from season one. And they weren't always used, sometimes transitions are fade outs, so very nice.

I like the little moments of domestic happiness woven throughout this episode, which give it kind of an even keel. Yes, there was tragedy, but there was also calm. There was love through mourning. We even see this in the future with Bree and Roger at Lallybroch, longing for their loved ones. It is very Outlander.

Enjoyed this episode. It felt like time with friends. : ) Wishing everyone the best and a very happy fourth to those in the US. 🧡

[dannydevitosthiccdog]

Uk trans news.

Brianna Ghey, a 16 year old trans girl was murdered by 2 teens, one year ago today. There was a vigil in her hometown where her school headteacher, friends and family spoke and told stories. The turn out was hearwarming, so many people came and placed paintings, lit candles, gave flowers, balloons and wore pink (her favourite colour) in her memory.

Her mother, Esther sent up a go fund me for mindfulness in schools project called Peace in Mind as a legacy for her daughter which has raised £76,102 of their £50,000 target.

Just days prior to this though, Prime minister, Rishi Sunak made derogatory, transphobic remarks with Esther being moments away. He has since refused to apologise, to her mother or father, he has ignored the question multiple times. Thankfully Esther did not have to hear those remarks herself.

Here's a link to the gofundme, donate if you want or can.

Rest in peace Brianna.