#The clothes are so beautiful. I love the prostitutes. The expressions of the male lead are great and the perspectives at times are fantastic
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final destination; lmh
summary; being a stewardess has its' pros and one of it is falling for the pilot, lee minho.
genre; fluff
word count; 2.7K
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[1]
Working as a stewardess has its pros. You are basically hired to travel around the world, but at the same time it meant that you can seldom visit your parents since you’re always in the air. Being a stewardess also meant that you had to deal with different types of people on a daily basis, some are nice and some are just down right unpleasant.
You loved your crew dearly, after-all they’re the ones you spend the most time with, they are just a bunch of eager to please people; with Yeji being the quirky one, Seungmin the savage one, Felix the one that never seems to run out of energy and the pilots, Minho being the main pilot and Hyunjin being the co-pilot while you’re known as the ‘chaotic neutral’. All of you are tight, with Felix and Seungmin always at each other’s neck, Yeji and Hyunjin being lovely-dovely but refusing to accept the fact that they’re in love with each other and then there’s you and Minho; the single ones.
Your relationship with Minho is a weird one, one second you both would be showering each other with love and affection, and the next thing you know, you would both be silently cursing each other.
Now, you’re dragging your suitcase behind you heading to the plane to meet your fellow crew members.
Today, you guys will be flying on a Boeing-757 to Germany, with 250 passengers on board, the number of passengers is not the most you’ve dealt with so you are slightly relieved to have a shift with slightly less passengers, plus majority of them are businessman and businesswoman. Silently thanking the gods that there won’t be any rowdy kids on board, you put on what you call a ‘professional smile’ and head down the aisle asking if any service is needed.
Whilst walking down the else, there are a few perverted old businessmen looking at you like you’re a pray, of course it made you uncomfortable, you aren’t some prostitute for the love of god. Clenching your jaw, you forced a smile at them asking if any of your services are needed.
Thankfully for you, all that was put to an end when you heard Minho’s voice over the intercom;
“Thank you for flying with us, this is your pilot, Captain Minho speaking. We hope you have a pleasant trip in Berlin, Germany.”
You let out a sigh of relief and headed to the exit of the airplane near the cockpit, smiling at passengers, wishing them to have a nice trip ahead as well as thanking them.
As soon as the last passenger left your sight, you let out a groan of frustration which earned you a chuckle from Yeji. She patted your back,
“Horny passengers again?”
You nodded vigorously and started ranting to Yeji about how disgusting their stares were and how disgusted you felt topped with over-exaggerated hand movements. You heard a giggle behind you, turning around you saw Minho, now with his hat in hand, 4-striped blazer draped over his shoulders. Minho then gave you a smile to which you returned.
“(Name), do you want to go grab supper? I am feeling a little hungry.” Minho asked, putting his hand on his tummy.
You smiled, and nodded. Earning snickers and whispers from the rest of the crew.
“Ey our captain Minho getting it tonight.” Felix teased, earning a slap on the back of the head by Minho.
That caused all of you to erupt into fits of laughter, with Felix holding his head while pouting.
[2]
After the meal with Minho, you guys settled into your respective hotels. Your next flight isn’t until three days later so you had some time to explore Berlin all you want; you were still contemplating whether or not to explore this beautiful city or stay in your hotel room to catch up on the sleep you lost. Just then, you received a text from Minho, it read,
“Hey, do you want to explore Berlin with me? Get some good food, take some photos and treat this as a hard-earned vacation.”
That brought a smile to your face, recently, things have been weird with you. Whenever you interact with Minho, you felt smiley, there’s this unfamiliar feeling that you’ve never felt before with Minho. You convinced yourself that it’s just the jetlag, nothing big, not fully wanting to succumb to the fact that you are falling in love with Minho.
Replying Minho with a simple, “Sure, we'll meet at the lobby?”. He then replied almost instantly with an 'Okay'.
When you arrived at the lobby, you saw Minho wearing his ugly sweater that you got for him for Christmas last year overlapping his black hoodie and a long coat that made him look like a typical K-drama male lead. Walking towards him with gentle steps, you tapped on his shoulders. He turned around, looking slightly offended but his expressions immediately soften upon the sight of you.
Giving you a smile, he held his hands out for you to hold them.
“So that I don’t lose you in the streets of Berlin.” Minho explained.
Obligating, you held his hands and with that, the both of you walked out of the hotel and into the busy streets of Berlin. Dragging Minho to all the different shops that caught your eye, at that moment, you looked like a little kid to him; he was lost in his thought until he felt a tug on his sweater,
“Hey Minho, I am going to build a bear to well, obviously, build a bear. Do you want to build one too?”
He ruffled your hair and nodded. Your eyes lit up and once again dragged Minho towards the direction of the outlet of build a bear, rushing up to a staff member and start customising your own bear. Minho too, started his own.
After a while, you both walked out of the shop with your bears in hand; heading to somewhere secluded you found on google hoping to catch a glimpse of the sunset. Settling down on one of the benches, you tapped random beats on the ground with your feet, staring into the sky that's painted in hues of golden, orange and yellow whilst a gentle breeze blew on your face causing your hair to flow along with it.
The golden light from the sun shining on your face made it impossible for Minho to take his eyes off of you, you looked so beautiful; he is resisting the urge to just hold you close to him and shower you with his love. He knew he fell in love with you since the day you joined the crew as an inexperienced stewardess and now, you’re one of the most experienced stewardesses in the crew, he always thought that your existence and addition to the crew was a blessing. That feeling amplified in that momentum, he felt so lucky to just have you by his side even when you’re not remotely doing anything significant.
“Woah, Minho! Look at the sunset! It’s so beautiful” You rambled on, sounding like a kid at the zoo.
‘You’re more beautiful, though.’ Minho thought in his head.
Eventually, time has passed, you both have to head back to the hotel before the last bus leaves. Sadly, you stared at the beautiful silhouette of buildings passing by you, you used your eyes to capture this beautiful view, and that includes Minho.
[3]
Time flew and the three days you had free in Berlin were gone. Back to the normal hustle and bustle, dealing with horny businessman and rowdy kids. The only thing that changed was the relationship between you and Minho, the both of you are getting daring, and more affectionate with each other, Yeji would always whisper-shout “love is in the air” whenever she sees Minho and you interacting.
Minho and you has always been like a couple, but not quite. Sometimes he would have a sleepover at your apartment and vice-versa, it has come to the point that Minho has some of his clothes in your closet and you too, have some of your clothes in his. If a stranger were to look at you both, they’re no doubt going to assume that you both are a couple, a long-term couple at that. This situation frustrated your fellow crew-mates a little, they’re tired of the both of you sneaking smiles and stares at each other, they just want the both of you to officially date.
Today your crew-members has decided on going for a ‘crew dinner’ to celebrate flying to 5 countries in the span of a month. As one of the oldest in the crew, you offered to pay for the dinner to which Minho interfered and offered to pay for half of it since you are both the same age and he claimed that it would be unfair for you. Hearing the news that you would be paying, one of the youngest amongst your crew, Felix cheered in happiness, pulling you and Minho into a passive aggressive hug.
The dinner was really fun. You witnessed more of Felix and Hyunjin's crazy side, and how Seungmin looks like he done with Felix while Yeji is just busy recording the mess and uploading them onto her Snapchat. You stared at them, silently wishing you had the energy they had.
Minho looked at you, chuckling to himself which in return, gained your attention.
"What are you laughing at?" you asked.
"You're looking at them as though they're aliens." Minho responded, holding his laughter.
You sighed and replied, "Well, how are they this energetic? I feel like my legs are going to break if I do those fortnite dances like Felix."
Minho finally erupted into a fit of laughter that sounded like heaven. You smiled unknowingly to yourself, turning your attention back to Felix's antics. Soon, your eyes started to get heavy, despite all the mess and noise around you, you started to doze off and eventually your head landed on Minho's shoulder which startled Minho a little but when he looked down at you, his heart beat starts to speed up.
Silently hoping you can't feel his increasing heartbeat, he carried you bridal style, told the rest of the crew that he is leaving and that he already paid for the bill. Heading towards his car, he placed you gently on the shotgun seat, claimed a hoodie of his from the backseat and drapped it over you and proceeded to put on the seatbelt for you. He smiled a little, brushing off a strand of stray hair off your face and closed the door as gently as he could.
The ride to Minho's home wasn't long, when he arrived, he parked his car in the garage and carried you into his guest room, or well, your room since Minho specifically decorated this room for you ever since the first time you had a sleepover at his house.
He went to the bathroom and took the make-up remover to help you remove your make-up and afterwards, he tucked you in bed, pulling the silk blanket over you; at that very instant, the urge of kissing your cheeks and cuddling you close came back. He gently placed a kiss on your forehead, he went back to his room, hands on his chest trying to calm down his heart.
[4]
Soon the sun rose, you woke up with the bright light from the sun illuminating the room. Sitting up on the bed, you realized that you aren't in your own home, you sat up straight immediately. Minho walked in, surprised that you're already awake.
"Good morning angel." Minho greeted, smiling a little too dazzling for a morning.
Your hands instinctively went to your hair, trying to pat down the bed hair you're known to have. You looked back up and see Minho staring at you, seemingly in love.
"Good morning to you too, handsome."
Minho walked towards you, ruffled your hair, and whispered,
"Go wash up, I have your clothes you left last time in the bathroom ready. I'll be waiting downstairs, I prepared breakfast."
When Minho walked out the room, you shoved your head in the pillow and screamed into it. God you really were in love with him, you were trying so hard to ignore all the heart beating but you can't now, it's a fact and you can't avoid something factual for long.
Wanting to wake yourself up, you head to the bathroom, splashing water on yourself, you stared at your reflection. Thoughts start to run wild in your head, ranging from positive thoughts like "What if he likes me too?" to negative ones like, "What if he secretly hates me?". You are positive that the more you think about these, the crazier it drives you; shaking this off, you forged a smile and walked towards the dining room where Minho was waiting for you with soup and rice alongside with some side dishes on the table.
"I made a simple meal, hope you don't mind." Minho broke the silence, flashing you his toothy smile.
"Of course not! I eat instant noodles or toast for breakfast everyday so this is very much a feast. Thank you so much, Minmin!" You spoke, staring Minho straight in the eyes.
Minho felt heat rush towards his cheeks, tainting it a dusty pink in the process. That's the effect you have on him, every little thing you do drives him insane; one day, he is probably going to just slap you on the lips with his.
Waving your hands in front of Minho, you tried to catch his attention, but no avail. You lightly pinch his cheek and that worked. You smiled at Minho and asked,
"What are you thinking about?"
He shook his head and gestured for you both to start eating.
[5]
It's been roughly about two days since you last saw Minho and your crew, but that is about to end because you're on the cab, on your way to the airport to fly once again.
This time around, Minho would be flying the Boeing 737 MAX 10, with roughly about 200 passengers on board. Luckily for you, there aren't any horny businessman in the Business or First-class cabin you were assigned to, just normal civilised people hoping to get a comfortable rest on this long flight from Incheon Airport to Los Angeles International Airport which will be taking around an estimated 12 Hours and 30 Minutes.
Time eventually passed by, you knew you are allowed you take breather when you heard,
"This is Captain Minho speaking, ladies and gentleman we have arrived at Las Angeles International Airport, it is local time 02:00AM. We hope you enjoyed the flight and we hope you fly with us again."
Soon, passengers start leaving one by one. You felt a sense of relief when the final passenger walked out the cabin with her child in toll. You fell on one of the seats and start stretching, removing your shoes, and rubbing your sore heels. Yeji followed suit, seated next to you, rubbing her sore feet and neck. The both of you looked like you are in immense pain, which was partly true, but you knew that the pain you experienced now cannot be compared to childbirth.
Minho walked out of the cockpit, and he immediately walked towards you. When he saw you rubbing your feet, he kneeled down and started massaging your legs for you which earned a whistle from Yeji.
When Felix walked out of the toilet, he screamed like a schoolgirl.
"Oh my god, they're getting bolder. Can I get a waffle? Can I please get a waffle?"
Seungmin walked out from the upper level with Hyunjin and smacked Felix on the back of the head which earned a 'Hey!' from the very offended Felix.
"Silly Felix, they're obviously married. They look like an old married couple."
Minho looked up at you and giggled, turning towards the two now-bickering boys he said,
"I would ask her to be mine but I don't know if she wants to," he turned to you, "So, (Name), I met you on the plane, and I'm going to confess to you on the plane. I'd love to be your final destination, so will you be mine?"
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Things Parents Should NEVER Say If They Want to Raise Empowered Daughers.
Remember that words have the power to wound, irreparably. What parents say matters, so be careful what you say if you want to raise confident daughters.
Growing up in Indian households comes with its own issues. Growing up as a girl in Indian households is another matter altogether. Even today, there are some statements that have become so hideously commonplace in Indian families, that our elders either do not, or cannot understand the enormous impact these statements have on the psyche of young girls and children in general.
Here are 4 examples of seemingly innocuous statements that are thrown at girls in Indian households, without a thought and understanding, which need to be banned immediately.
“Behave like a girl. Don’t talk back!”
Behave like a girl. Don’t talk back! (Ladkiyon jaise raho. Ulta jawab mat do / zabaan mat ladao)
What does this even mean – to behave like a girl? How do we define what ‘behaving like a girl’ entails? Is it to be submissive? Comformative? Meek? Feminine? This reeks of the same stereotype that is used for the other gender – ‘Be a Man.’
Children who are constantly berated for talking back, or expressing their opinions out loud, are brainwashed into thinking that it is ‘unbecoming’ to argue (in case of women), or cry (in case of men); these children grow up to develop an inferiority complex so strong, that they cannot even raise their voices in opposition to wrong things. These children bear the weight of this nonsensical societal expectations of what a girl is, or what a man is, for the rest of their lives.
In the case of women, this conditional suppression of their ability to speak up for themselves and stand for their own well being is one of the primary reasons behind their consistent subjugation. Not knowing any better, young girls adopt meekness, considering it to be a virtue, even at the cost of their lives.
Is it inherent and internalized prejudice that leads us to assume girls as being somehow weaker or inferior than boys, even if they are not? Or to assume that expressing emotion, or crying, are somehow specifically feminine traits? If yes, this needs to stop now.
Children do not have to bear the burden of their parents’ ideologies and prejudices. Let them discover what ‘behaving like a girl’ or ‘being a man’, means for themselves.
“Daughters are someone else’s property, their real home is their husband’s”
Daughters are someone else’s property. The home of their biological parents is not their home after all, their REAL homes are the ones they will have after marriage. (Betiyan toh paraya dhan hoti hain. Jab tak ho yahan theek hai, fer toh apne ghar jana hai.)
I cannot believe parents still say this to their daughters. Why? It’s like adopting a child and then reminding that child every single day that they are adopted; where they are right now.
I envy the girls who did not have to hear this thrown at them in their childhood. Even in jest, this is a statement that cuts to the bones of daughters. If you are a woman, reading this here, imagine for a second how it makes you feel. Does it remind you how much it hurt to hear your own parents say this to you when you were young? Why would any parent allow their own children to suffer from the same fate?
Daughters are not things to be owned or possessed; they are individuals, human beings in their own right. Please stop. Never let children feel that they do not belong at their home, with their parents. Their REAL homes are wherever they choose to call their homes.
Learn to cook. How will you feed your husband?
Learn to cook. How will you feed your husband? In-laws will say your mother has not taught you anything. We are bearing all your tantrums, your in-laws will not suffer them. (Khana banana seekh lo. Pati ko kya khilaoge? Sasuraal wale kahenge maa ne kuch sikhaya nahi. Hum jhel rahe hain tumhare nakhre, sasural me koi nahi jhelega.)
Learning to cook for oneself is a skill that everyone must acquire. Women are not born with the guidebook to be a MasterChefs.
Having the capability to cook and feed oneself is not a gender specific trait, it is survival. Husbands do not need to be fed by their wives; nor do the in-laws. Threatening your daughters with the supposed repercussions they will face at the hands of their in-laws, is a poor way to handle their tantrums; it is just a way to delegate responsibility for your children to someone else. This not only sows the seed of doubt and fear in the hearts of young girls, regarding the whole institution of marriage, but also paints a poor picture of what they should be expecting from their future relatives. A peace based on fear, is no peace.
Cooking and cleaning are not the only maternal legacies that matter. There are a horde of more significant traits that mothers can pass on to their daughters, like courage, determination, self-love and empathy. If you cannot cook and clean for yourself, you need some basic survival skills training asap; not a wife or daughter-in-law. Education is important, irrespective of gender and house-work is important, irrespective of gender.
Don’t wear such clothes. Good girls don’t talk to boys or stay out at night. Don’t wear such clothes. You look like a slut, a prostitute. Why are you wearing make-up? For whom? Good girls don’t talk to boys or stay out at night. They come home early. (Kaise kapde pehne hain? Vaishya lag rahi ho. Kiske liye kar rahe ho ye makeup? Achi ladkiyan ladkon se baatein nahi karti, raat ko bahar nahi ghumti. Jaldi ghar wapis aati hain.)
Although I admit that this is one of the many ways in which Indian parents warn their daughters of the atrocious crimes being committed against women, and I admit that it is extremely important to prepare our daughters to face a world where the dangers of assault are extremely real; I do not agree that this is how this subject should be approached.
Believe it or not, daughters are going to come across pop culture sometime or other. They are going to be exposed to what is cool and what is not, they are going to be influenced by the generalised beauty standards of the world. There is nothing parents can do to stop that.
What can be done, is to never aggressively deny or demean their choices of attire or make up. Let daughters wear whatever they want to, let them experiment with make-up however they want to.
Remember that words have the power to wound, irreparably. What parents say matters. Never compare or judge daughters as ‘sluts’ or ‘prostitutes’; remember that children invariably end up doing exactly what is forbidden. It is always better to convey positive criticism and use words like – this dress does not suit you, or it does not flatter you like this other one – Be very careful of the words used, when speaking to your children.
Parents must be open to uncomfortable conversations; no subject should be off-the-table. If children have questions, answer them in the best way possible; if you do not know, tell them that you do not know and attempt to find the best approach together. There is a veritable goldmine of information out there, FIGURE IT OUT. Because, children will find out about these things, one way or another, in today’s world of information overload, it is impossible to protect children from the ‘bad stuff’. The best way to prepare them for the world is to stay one step ahead of other sources; be approachable, discuss, educate. Create awareness of the potential dangers, so daughters can be willing partners in taking measures to protect themselves.
Why this is important?
Even in today’s so called progressive society, there is an inordinate amount of pressure being exerted on girls for marriage. We are raising daughters (girls in general) to aspire for marriage, and at the same time, we are not raising our sons to aspire for it.
The value that women derive from the institution of marriage is far more than that of their male counterparts. This is the reason why there is a far greater number of women who choose to compromise and stay in abusive and toxic marriages, as compared to men. There is a vast difference in the values which we are instilling in our daughters and in our sons. The weight of expectation that we put on our daughters and women is blatantly unrealistic and unfair; and will eventually break them.
We have to bring in change, and we have to bring it now. We need to know that if we want to raise strong, independent, self-respecting women, we must treat them as such; and at the same time, raise our sons to be strong, independent, self-respecting men. We must be willing to put in the effort and we must be wary of the words we use. The fate
of the world lies in the hands of our children; and our children are our responsibilities.
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Meet The Genetic Sleuths Solving Decades-Old Trans Murders
On the blustery morning of November 26, 1983, a beachgoer spotted a still-warm body in Half Moon Bay, California. The victim, who looked about 20 years old, had been stabbed more than 20 times and left in the sands near Pillar Point Bluff. Their wrists were slashed, their face bruised and swollen. (Out of respect for the victim’s unknown gender identity, Motherboard is using they/them as a pronoun.)
At their time of death, the person was presenting as a stylish, slender woman. They were 5-foot-10 inches tall, wearing an auburn pixie cut and casual clothes: yellow capri pants and a turtleneck over a foam-form bra, fishnet hose, and two pairs of feminine underwear. A Madonna-style white metal crucifix hung around their neck.
When taken to a medical examiner, the victim's body was misidentified as male, and nobody ever came to claim it. In an effort to identify the individual, cops dubbed them “John Doe #83-26” and released a crime sketch depicting a man. It failed to convey their gender identity or expression, including that they were likely wearing makeup and going by a woman’s name.
The case of Pillar Point Doe soon went cold and their identity remained a mystery for 35 years—until two genealogy sleuths recently cracked the case. The trans couple, who specialize in cold cases involving trans and gender non-conforming people, found the forgotten victim’s birth name through an online DNA database, reviving the hunt for their killer.
“I would work until I passed out”
Lee and Anthony Redgrave traced Pillar Point Doe’s relatives from Wales to Utah using the family history site GEDmatch, known for its role in finding the notorious Golden State Killer. The search was close to home for the Redgraves, who toiled obsessively for months without pay.
“I would work until I passed out. I’d cry myself to sleep at night, and have dreams where I was woken up thinking that [the victim] was telling me their name,” said Anthony, who along with Lee, ran a small team for the DNA Doe Project, a non-profit that identifies deceased people through forensic genealogy.
Lee added: “There are a lot of factors—and homicide detectives have absolutely no idea how to do this.”
The Redgraves were inspired by personal tragedy to help solve the case. In January 2018, a transgender friend of theirs, Christa Steele-Knudslien—a beauty pageant organizer and trans activist—was beaten and stabbed to death. The attack, which came after another friend’s suicide, sent Lee spiraling into a depression.
“It really tore my brain up,” said Lee, 41, a non-binary night owl with arms full of tattoos. “I got depressed, and when that happens I usually throw myself into a project.”
Anthony and Lee Redgrave
When a true crime-loving friend recommended they volunteer for the DNA Doe Project, it seemed like a good distraction.“Partially, I’m sure, it was her being like, ‘You have to stop being in a funk,’” Lee said. “We both felt really helpless about Christa—and this was something we actually could help with.”
They had plenty of experience with genetic genealogy, but they knew the limits of DNA and family tree matches for transgender victims. Database searches often lead to “dead names”—birth names victims no longer use, and aren’t known by in their communities. And most law enforcement systems don’t allow searches across sex marker categories, blinding them to some gender non-conforming folks.
A “trans-informed” perspective could shed some light, considering trans people are more likely to be the target of violent, unresolved crime. “Being a trans person, I know I’ve been incredibly fortunate not to have had a bunch of horrible things happen to me,” said Anthony, 38, a soft-spoken Civil War buff with a long ginger beard. “That was a driving force.”
When the Redgraves first heard about the Pillar Point Doe case in July 2018, they knew almost immediately it was ripe for a genetic gumshoeing.
An Unlikely Partnership
The victim, who was carrying no identification, had been found only two hours after they were stabbed in the neck and chest, allowing cops to collect a piece of blood-soaked blotter paper known as a “blood card.” This meant Pillar Point Doe’s DNA didn’t have to be extracted from bone, a longer and more expensive process. And yet it would likely show a complete picture of the victim’s entire genetic makeup, one that could be extracted in a lab and uploaded to GEDmatch, they said.
But the couple still had to convince the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office to hand over the blood sample—and to team up with them on the investigation.
The Redgraves had a hunch cops would be willing. Their request came on the heels of the Golden State Killer’s arrest a few counties away, and in a section of northern California that tends to be queer-friendly.
“The thought was it was a good case because it was the Bay Area. We expected there would be more friendly law enforcement and a LBGTQ liaison in the Bay Area,” said Anthony. “We had to give an elevator pitch to the department, like, ‘This is why we want this specific case, and this is how it will benefit you.’”
The cops, it turned out, were game. The Redgraves signed non-disclosure agreements and— in a rare move—police released Pillar Point Doe’s private case files, including the blood card along with crime scene and coroner photos.
The Redgraves agreed to do the genetic sleuthing, then pass off next of kin matches to police, who would talk to relatives, collect DNA samples and handle the investigation from there.
It was an unlikely partnership. Many trans people refuse to work with cops since law enforcement has routinely targeted the community, trans activists and experts said. According to a 2015 survey, at least 57 percent of trans respondents said they would be afraid or uncomfortable going to police for help.
“It comes from being abused or not taken seriously by officers who historically have been disrespectful or dismissive of trans people,” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, a policy expert for the National Center for Transgender Equality. “There’s a real stigma. Sometimes just being visibly trans in public is enough to get stopped or harassed by police on suspicion of being a sex worker—whether or not you actually are.”
Cases with trans victims have long been de-prioritized by cops, who assume victims are sex workers, living a “high risk” lifestyle or are “disowned” by their families, Heng-Lehtinen said.
But a lack of trans awareness is bad for police, too. Detectives who are ignorant about the community are more likely to use a transgender person’s dead name because it was printed on a government-issued ID, or to seek outdated information from estranged family members who knew them pre-transition, he said. It keeps those investigators from understanding the whole picture.
“If you’re an officer who’s asking around for Mark Smith and everybody in the neighborhood knows her as Marcia, that’s not helping anybody,” Heng-Lehtinen said.
Lee chalks it up to lack of education and training. “If you look at popular media over the past 20 years, the characters that are dressing opposite of what they’re ‘supposed to be’ are usually trying to trick somebody or get away with something—the end of ‘Ace Ventura’ is a classic example, or ‘The Crying Game,’” Lee said. “You get a lot of that mentality still in law enforcement, just because they haven’t had an alternate education.”
Identifying Doe
The Redgraves quickly got to work on creating a more gender-accurate forensic sketch of Pillar Point Doe. In the 80s and 90s, at least three drawings had been made of them, all wildly different.
One showed a “partially-Asian goth” guy with boxy slicked-back black hair, Lee said. Another depicted a shaggy-haired Val Kilmer look-alike with almond eyes. All were of men, and none were quite right.
“It seemed like [police artists] were trying to make this person look male,” Lee said. “Considering they had natural hair, not a wig, and were wearing pants with multiple layers of hose and underwear, it’s likely that they were tucking to have a more female appearance,” Lee said, citing details about the victim's outfit.
“They were probably attempting to pass as female as opposed to someone who was [a] drag performer or engaging in prostitution while cross-dressing.”
Based on those clues, the male sketch on fliers would have likely been lost on Pillar Point Doe’s queer “chosen family”—or anyone who saw them the night of the murder, the couple said. So using crime scene and coroner photos, the Redgraves and an artist came up with a new sketch that depicts the victim with a more feminine look, a yellow outfit and natural-style makeup.
In March 2019, Pillar Point’s blood card came back from the lab. It showed Pillar Point Doe’s entire genome sequence on a huge hard drive.
From their cozy home office in central Massachusetts, the Redgraves and a small team plugged those chunks of genetic code into GEDmatch, which compares DNA from testing sites like 23andMe and ancestry.com to find possible relatives with similar genetic makeups. Unlike law enforcement’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the site can pinpoint distant ancestors, not just immediate family members.
It works like this: Say you find a painting in a park with no signature and you want to learn the name of the artist. If you could somehow scan the piece’s complex colors and brush strokes into a massive database of art, you might be able to match it to the person who made it. Other paintings by the artist with similar patterns—a distant cousin, in this analogy—may also pop up.
In general, DNA evidence is only as accurate as the people who collect and analyze it. Technicians have been known to misinterpret samples, and police have submitted tainted or mixed genetic material. But Pillar Point’s blood card appeared to be a solid sample, the couple said.
The search led the Redgraves to a small town in Wales, where Pillar Point Doe’s distant relatives once worked at a glove factory. “We kept finding people who descended from this really specific family, but then finding the right branch turned out to be really hard,” Lee said.
Scores of unwed mothers hailed from the town for unknown reasons, leading to frustrating genealogy dead-ends. “It happened over and over again in this one little town,” Lee said.
The couple built a massive family tree and cross-referenced names with public records. They traced that to a group of relatives to a Utah pioneer community with roots in the Mormon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “When you work on someone’s genealogy, you get to know them in a really intimate way through their ancestors,” Lee said. “You know you’re getting close when they start looking like who you’re looking for.”
The couple soon discovered Pillar Point’s cousins belonged to an intermarried clan of families. Some men had multiple wives and children, amounting to a genealogy headache. “It’s a problem that’s common in isolated religious communities. The fancy word is endogamy,” Lee said. “You end up with a whole lot of half-relations and unreliable predictions.”
Setbacks
Then a fiasco unfolded. The arrest of the Golden State Killer in 2018 had sparked privacy fears from critics who claimed GEDMatch could be used for nefarious reasons. When a criminal case centering on a minor stirred up more controversy on the site the next year, the owners abruptly purged the “law enforcement matching” section of it in May 2019, according to the Redgraves.
With no warning, it left the couple with only about 20 percent of the genetic clues they’d had before. “Think of it as the number of letters turned around on your ‘Wheel of Fortune’ puzzle. [Afterwards] there were 80 percent less letters, and we still had to guess the phrase,” Lee said.
The setback forced them to get creative. They sought uploads from people who descended from early settlers in Utah, along with the Mormon church, and mapped out “clusters” of potential relatives.
Anthony spent hours tinkering with DNA Painter, a tool that helps genealogists make sense of matches. Eventually, it led to Pillar Point’s possible great grandfather.
During an all-nighter in October 2019, they had a breakthrough. When they got to one of the possible great grandfather’s relatives, they checked records for proof of the person’s life after 1983, and found none. Lee pulled out Pillar Point’s crime scene photo and checked it against a high school yearbook photo of the grandchild.
It all added up: Here was the long-forgotten face of Pillar Point Doe.
They both burst into tears. “There were periods of crying and shaking for a few days afterwards. It was really intense,” Lee said.
The team then sent Pillar Point’s birth name to cops, who collected DNA from a relative to confirm the match, reinvigorating the investigation.
San Mateo County police have since declined to release Pillar Point Doe’s birth name—or to allow the couple to—saying it could hurt their hunt for the killer. “This homicide is actively being investigated. Unfortunately, disclosing information about the details may hinder our investigation,” Sergeant William Young, from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, told Motherboard.
Cold Case, Close To Home
Now, the Redgraves want more answers. “Ideally, police will find the perpetrator,” Lee said. “[Cops] definitely want to tell us something but they can’t. It makes us feel hopeful.”
Not long ago, Lee got a tattoo of poppies in Pillar Point Doe’s honor. It was inspired by the California flower bloom that could be seen from space in March 2019, the week the couple began searching for the victim's identity. “I am absolutely forever changed from working on this case,” Lee said.
Ultimately, the Redgraves hope Pillar Point Doe will be remembered for who they were—a complex and loved person, not a forgotten John Doe. “Hopefully someone who loved them will carry on their memory,” Lee said.
The couple now runs the Trans Doe Task Force, a research group that helps police and medical examiners with transgender and gender-expansive cold cases. Recently, they launched a database that allows for DNA comparisons across sex marker categories. They also founded their own firm, Redgrave Research Forensic Services, and Anthony has helped train law enforcement departments on five continents.
These days, the couple has a small framed high school photo of Pillar Point Doe in their home, near portraits of other people from cases close to their hearts.
“Pillar Point has become part of our family. I feel like we are basically like their foster parents,” Anthony said. “I’m going to feel that way until I know exactly how this case ends.”
Meet The Genetic Sleuths Solving Decades-Old Trans Murders syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/
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Week 3 Submissions
Below the cut are this weeks submissions. The theme was “another time period (anytime not 2010-2020)” and 250 word count max. The challenge this week was that the following names were not allowed to be used: Q, James, Bond, Alex, Danny.
These writers stepped up to the challenge and have as always provided the fandom with amazing content this week. Please consider voting and commenting here.
Voting is closed at Noon EST 7/3.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!
Title: Ice
Author: @themuller13
Rating: general audiences
Warnings: major character deaths
Summary: Never more.
“We found them like this, Sir,” the sailor said indicating a small heap of what looked like limbs and clothes, now lying still and wet on the deck of the Carpathia.
The man in the expensive suit nodded before he moved slowly, cautiously towards the entangled mass. The sailor could see the dread and fear in every step the man took forward.
“We’ve tried to separate them, Sir, but—“
The sailor went silent when he saw the man bending down and carefully, tenderly unwrap a hand, an arm, and finally a young man, pale and limp. A black, unruly mess of curls lay flattened against too prominent cheekbones. The man cradled the lifeless form in his arms, turning his face up and pressed his warm lips on an unresponsive mouth.
He sobbed, defeated and grief-stricken.
Protectively, he covered the body with a dry blanket, only leaving the beautiful face bare in the cold winter night.
Then, he freed the next man. Gently, he held and petted him, before he was placed alongside the first.
The sailor stayed silent, watched with wide eyes when he saw the resemblance between the two bodies, saw how the suited man took utmost care to place the bodies as close as possible.
The damp clothes held a third body of an even younger man, his face like chiseled marble. Warm fingers trailed the cupid’s bow.
His body was now draped around the other two, in a final embrace of a love that was no more.
Title: The Pais
Author: @iambid
Rating: Gen
Warnings: Mentions of sexual slavery
Summary: A retired centurion goes to market to purchase a concubine.
“Please buy them too!”
The rich man turned angrily from his negotiation with the slaver and stared at his new purchase. He was pretty but outbursts were not to be tolerated. The guard behind him grabbed his dark tousled hair and forced him to his knees brutally.
“And why should I do that?”
“We were told that if we weren’t sold today we would be sent to the Games!”
He looked over at the two slaves that stood cowering at the other end of the little stage. Unsold, they would be sent to the arena to be gladiators and most likely be slaughtered. One of them looked very much like the boy he now owned. The other was taller and blonder.
“What if I can’t afford to buy them too?”
“Then don’t buy me!” The young man pleaded. “Let me go with them. Die with them.”
He hesitated, moved by his heartfelt plea.
“Why are you so set on throwing your life away?”
“I love them.” He whispered, tears finally falling. “I can’t live without them.”
He’d returned from the war in Britannia to find his beloved wife Vesper had died. After months of loneliness he’d come to the sale to find a boy to warm his bed and found these young lovers instead. Maybe the gods were smiling on him. He turned to the slaver.
“I want all three.” He stroked the boy’s hair. “I should like there to be some love in my home again.” He said kindly.
Title: Something Old, Something New
Author: @iamanonniemouse
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Summary: "I feel like I've known you all forever,” I admit.
--
They say we remember things from our past lives. Old addresses, our partner’s preferred HoloCell brand. Little things.
Until now, I’d never believed it. But looking at the slim man in front of me, I am struck with a strange sense of déjà vu.
His HoloSuit is worn, his eyes tired. Where have you been? I want to ask. I've been looking for you.
“My name's Denny,” the man offers.
No it isn't, I think. Not quite.
"My name is Joe,” I say.
No it isn't.
Not-Denny hums thoughtfully. "If you could pick any name for yourself, what would it be?”
I ponder it. “Alan.”
Not quite. But it’ll do.
Not-Denny beams. "Okay, Alan. Would you like to come to lunch with us?”
I nod. He leads me over to two other men.
“Alan?” the man with HoloLens prosthetics says as we’re introduced. “I'm your new best friend, Quinn.”
The other man snorts and extends his hand. “Brown,” he says. “John Brown.
We sit and place our orders.
“Do you have two cats?” I ask Quinn, randomly.
“No way in hell,” Brown says.
Quinn rolls his eyes. “I don’t,” he tells me. “But I’ve been thinking of getting some.”
Brown groans.
The HoloServe arrives with our meals. I watch them all as we eat. Denny’s hands curled around the fork, Quinn’s bangs, Brown’s eyes.
“Something wrong?" Quinn asks me.
I hesitate. "I feel like I've known you all forever,” I admit.
They all smile at me.
“Me, too.”
Title: The Visitors
Author: @gwylliondream
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: He'd recognize that face anywhere.
“They’re coming today,” the nurse chatters as she wheels my chair into the courtyard.
The strength of my hands fails me. My fists once crushed jaws, but now they only ache, fingers twisted with age.
“They…?” I ask.
“Your family, of course,” she says.
I haven’t had a family since I was twelve years old.
They arrive, three of them, walking through the gate when the buzzer sounds.
I don’t remember them. Their names, their habits, how they take their tea.
The observation of human behaviour once came easily to me. But these days, I’ve lost the skills, like a man who forgets the name of his childhood pet or the taste of his mother’s porridge.
One visitor checks his watch as the afternoon lingers. His face impassive, he’d rather be elsewhere. Instead, he’s boxed into this god-forsaken courtyard without an escape.
Another paces back and forth across the grass. His fingers itch to hold a cigarette between them. I still notice some things, despite my captivity. I haven’t forgotten everything.
Another visitor kneels at my side and presses a cheek to my palm.
The other takes his eyes off his watch long enough to notice, “He recognizes you.”
My thumb caresses the soft skin, not nearly as wrinkled as my own. A smile emerges, a blush and a dimple.
The pacing visitor stops and affirms, “I think he does.”
“I’d recognize you anywhere,” I say, remembering the warmth of a Mediterranean sun.
Green eyes flicker over my lips.
“Vesper….”
Title: A pub is for everyone
Author: @blood-suits-and-tears
Rating: G
Warnings:
Summary: random London pub in the 1990s; they are all like 20
"Come on, Turner...we should celebrate, the two youngest and brightest members of Q-branch! The pub is just across the street..."
The grunge-y looking kid with the big glasses is leading the way and then orders them cocktails. The other, more conservative looking one is finding them a table with a good view of all the exits; the best spot is already taken by a handsome but tired looking guy in uniform.
Just as the cocktails are ready a young man stumbles in, dressed in neon colours, spikey hair, and glitter on his face, rave-y type. He looks like he had quite a night although it’s not even 10pm yet.
Everybody is sipping their drinks as suddenly Nirvana blares through the pub. Turner remembers his colleague complaining about them being too commercial now. Nevertheless, he gets up to ‘dance’, he tries to get other people to join him, so the rave-y guy at the bar gives in.
“Dance with us, army guy!”
“Navy! He’s obviously a navy man”
“Thanks, and no… not really my kind of music…”
“Turner?”
He shakes his head and gets joined by the navy man at his table.
“Not your thing either?”
“Not really, but they seem to have fun…”
“You want to try?”
There is a hesitant nod and they get up to join the other two. Later as ‘Jump Around’ comes on they all don’t hold back. None of them knowing what will become of them together in the future.
Title: The Favour
Author: @sunaddicted
Rating: G
Warnings: mentions of male prostitution
Summary: you meet the people you love in the strangest ways (brownie points to whoever guessed what scandal I'm referring to)
The carriage dipped and groaned a little when two broad gentlemen climbed down from it, their blond hair - an ashen and a honeyed tone respectively - briefly shining like saints' halos under the gaslights.
"Cleveland Street" The younger gentleman frowned, a quizzical expression on his classically cut features "It doesn't seem like a place where we might have a mission, Commander"
"We don't" the elder confirmed, cane tapping on the concrete almost in glee at the perspective of working outside of the rules "It's a favour, not a mission"
"For who?"
"The Quartermaster" The Commander revealed as he led his colleague down the road "He has.. an acquaintance at number 19" the tone of voice said everything about just what kind of acquaintance he was talking about - not that he was judging their young Quartermaster: they had had their fair share of illicit encounters, disguised under friendly dinners.
"A male prostitute, you mean"
"A boy he holds close to his heart and who he wishes out of harm's way" the elder specified "You must know about the brewing scandal" he murmured, pushing the door open.
The other agent sighed "Who are we looking for?"
The Commander looked around briefly and then nodded towards a familiar nest of unkempt hair.
"They look... The same"
The older agent couldn't disagree, the similarity was startling and he had a feeling that they would get into a lot of trouble because of them "Yes, they're beautiful"
Title: Real Gone
Author: @lille082
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings: none
Summary: He doesn’t go looking for trouble, honest. But he knows where to go after trouble finds him. A 50s Diner AU
The occupant behind the diner’s counter looked him over as he limped across the threshold before glaring at him in annoyance and concern. Before he knew it, he’d been forced onto a stool in the upstairs flat, a plaster applied to his forehead.
“You close shop to patch a lot of cats up at 2am or is it just me?” He smiled as he watched a flush creep into Eugene’s cheeks.
“I don’t know too many people who go out looking for a pounding, Richard. Consider yourself special.” He continued to dab at his split lip with a flannel, flicking his gaze up for just a moment to meet his eyes.
“Sounds like you’re running with some squares, Eugene.”
He laughed, his blush growing darker as his gaze flickered between Richard’s eyes and lips.
The door to the flat swung open and they both jumped, watching Bobby and Alan stumble in clinging to each other before seeing them.
“Oh. Sorry to interrupt…we’ll just…” Bobby led Alan to the bedroom and swiftly shut the door behind them.
Richard hadn’t known, exactly, but he’d had suspicions about the three men who ran the diner and the look of fear in Eugene’s eyes confirmed it for him.
“Please don’t rat on us,” Eugene quietly pleaded.
“Why would I do a thing like that? You calling me a snitch?” He asked, leaning forward and smiling playfully.
Eugene's eyes widened hopefully. “Really?”
“Really,” Richard whispered, before tilting his chin up to kiss him.
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