Briefly, what was your reaction to the Brandon Teena Video? How was his victimization consistent with what we know about victimization risk factors, types of crimes, and motives for crimes exacted aga

T w o D ec a d es A ft e r B ra n don T een a's M urd er, a L ook B ack a t F alls Ci ty E ag er to co me to term s w it h h is d ep artm ent 's t ra g ic m is h and li ng of t he r ap e t hat l ed to th e m urd er o n N ew Y ea r's E ve i n 1993, a sm all - to w n s heri se ns it ivity training.

B y S te ph anie Fair y ing to n DEC EMBER 31, 20 13 Brandon Teena, left, with Lana Tisdel in an undated photo (As sociated Press) T w enty yea rs a go in a lit tle N ebra sk an t ow n ca ll e d F all s C it y , a hand so m e 21- yea r-o ld t r a ns man w it h big blue e yes w as br uta ll y be ate n, r ap ed a nd m urd ere d in o ne of t he m ost h eino us h ate crim es in A merica n h is to ry .

H is na me w as B ra nd on T eena . Sub sc rib e S HA RE 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 2/12 dra m atiz a tio n B oys D on’t C ry in 1999 th at m ad e B ra nd on’s s to ry f am ili a r t o m illi o ns o f A merica ns —a nd won H ila ry S wank an O sca r f or h er m oving portr a y al o f h im .

Bra nd on l eft h is h om eto w n o f L inco ln, N ebr ask a, f or F all s C it y a t t he a ge o f 20, h oping to sta rt a ne w lif e in a comm uni ty w here no one kne w h im . H e s ta rte d d ating L ana Tis d el, a nd fou nd a fam ily o f s orts i n h er i nne r ci rcl e o f f rie nd s, i ncl uding Joh n L otte r a nd M arvin “ Tom ” N is se n. B ut u pon d is co vering Bra nd on w as a bi olo gica l fe m ale , L otte r a nd Nis se n beca me o bs esse d w it h p ro ving his a na to m y t o L ana , fo rcibl y d is r o bing h im in a bath ro om on C hris tm as E ve, a nd hou rs l ate r, r ap ing him .

O n N ew Y ea rs E ve, to prev ent h im fro m ever p re ssing ch arg es, t hey k ille d h im and tw o b ysta nd ers. B ra n don f aced a d em ea n in g a nd d eh um an iz in g l in e of q uestio n in g f ro m the R ic h ard so n C ou n ty S heri w hen r ep ortin g h is a tt a ck ers. T od ay, L otte r r em ains on d ea th r ow at T ecu mse h S ta te C orre ct io na l I ns tit u tio n, h aving been co nvicted of th e kil li ng s w it h N is se n ’s t estim ony . N is se n i s s erv ing thre e li f e s ente nce s a t th e L inco ln C orre ct io na l C ent er. I n 2007, h e r eca nte d h is o rig ina l te stim ony and no w adm it s h e m urd ere d t he t hre e v ict im s w it h L otte r a s h is a cco mplice .

But a no th er O n D ece mbe r 25, m ere h ou rs a ft e r be ing sex u all y a ssa u lt e d , B ra nd on f ace d a dem ea ning a nd deh um aniz ing lin e o f q uestio ni ng fro m the R ich ard so n C ou nt y Sh eri L .A . o C: [ A]ft e r he pulle d y ou r p an ts d ow n a nd s een y ou w as a gir l, w hat d id he do? D id he fo n dle y ou a ny?

B : N o.

C : H e d id n 't f on dle y ou a ny, hu h. Di dn 't t ha t k in d o f a m aze y ou ?...D oesn 't t ha t k in d o f, a h, get you r a tte n tio n s om eho w t hat he wou ld 'v e p ut hi s ha nds i n y ou r p an ts a nd p la y wi th y ou a lit tle b it ?

... 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 3/12 C: [ Y]o u w ere a ll ha lf - a ss d ru n k.... I c an 't b eli e v e t ha t i f he pulle d y ou r p an ts d ow n a nd yo u a re a fem ale t ha t he did n 't s tic k hi s ha nd i n y ou o r hi s B : W ell, he did n 't .

C : I can 't b eli e v e he did n 't .

...

C :...Di d he ha ve a ha rd o n when he g ot b ack t he re o r w ha t?

B : I don 't k now . I did n 't l ook .

C : Y ou d id n 't l ook . Di d he tak e a lit tle t im e w ork in g i t u p, o r w ha t? D id y ou w ork i t u p fo r hi m?

B: N o, I did n 't .

C : Y ou d id n 't wo rk i t u p f or hi m?

B: N o.

C :

B: I gu ess s o, I don 't k now .

C : Y ou d on 't k now ...Di d, when he got i n t he back s ea t y ou w ere a lr e a d y s pre a d o ut b ack the re r ea d y f or hi m, wa it in g o n hi m.

B: N o, I wa s s it tin g u p when he got b ack t he re .

....

C : A nd y ou ha d n ev er ha d s ex b efo re ?

B : N o.

C : H ow o ld a re y ou ?

B : 21.

C : A nd i f y ou 'r e 21, y ou t hi nk y ou 'd ha ve, y ou 'd ha ve, t ro u ble g ettin g i t i n?

....

C : W hy do y ou r un a ro u n d wi th gi rls i nst e a d o f, a h, g uys b ein g y ou a re a gir l y ou rse lf ?

B : W hy do I wha t?

C : W hy do y ou r un a ro u n d wi th gi rls i nst e a d o f g uys b ein g y ou 'r e a gir l y ou rse lf ? 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 4/12 B: I ha ven 't t he sli g ht est i dea .

C : Y ou ha ven 't t he sli g ht est i dea ? Y ou g o a ro u n d k issi n g o the r g ir ls ?....[ T]he gir ls t ha t d on 't k n ow a bou t y ou , t hinks [ si c ] y ou a re a guy. D o y ou k iss t he m?

....

B: ...I have a sex u al i den tit y c risi s.

C : A wha t?

B : I ha ve a sex u al i den tit y c risi s.

C : Y ou wa nt t o e xp la in t ha t?

B : I don 't k now i f I can e ven t alk a bou t i t....

I r ece ntl y r e-w atch ed S usa n M usk a a nd Gre ta O la fs d ottir 's E mmy-no mina te d 1998 docu menta ry , w hich une arth ed th is e xcr ucia tin g e xch ang e. into an a partm ent in F alls C it y to atte nd all t he t ria ls a nd sent enci ngs. W it h ou t t heir e x ce lle nt inv estig ativ e j ou rna li s m w e w ou ld h av e ne ver l ea rne d o f t he e xtr e m e mis co nd uct a nd inh um anity Bra nd on s u it s o m eth ing pa rticu la rly pe rv erse a bo ut a m an e ntru ste d w it h t he d uty t o p ro te ct ch oosing ins te a d to hurt a nd hum ili a te .

P eir ce , w ho a ls o s pe nt m ore th an h alf a d eca de r ese a rch ing and m ak ing her to u nd ersco re th e d is tu rbing a nd partici pato ry na tu re o f L au x's q uestio ns abo ut t he crim e b y pl ay ing out th e ra pe sce ne in grille d b y L au x.  Wh en I rece ntl y s poke w it h P eir ce , s he no te d “ a l ev el o f p ro vo ca tio n and plea su re [ th at L au x d eriv ed ] o ut o f m ak ing Bra nd on r eli v e h is o w n t ortu re .” D espite am ple e vid ence , Lau x negl ect ed t o a pp re h end and ch arg e L otte r a nd Nis se n, g iving th em th e o ppo rtu nity to plan a nd execu te B ra nd on' s m urd er t w ent y y ea rs a go to d ay o n D ece mbe r 31, 1993. J oA nn B ra nd on, B ra nd on’s m oth er, w as e vent ually a w ard ed $5000 f or w ro ng fu l d ea th , $7000 f or i nt ent io na l i n d is tr e ss, $80,000 f or “ m enta l s u I w ond ere d if th e s ta in o f L au x’s l eg acy still l ing ere d in F all s C it y 's S h eri if th ey 'd m ad e pr oce du ra l e A ft e r a ll, t r a ns gend er rig hts a nd vis ibil it y h av e incr ea se d s ig ni s ince 1993. To O 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 5/12 Omah a. I wheth er h e h as a ny reg re t a bo ut th e w ay h e h and le d t hing s. e n tr u ste d w it h t he d uty t o p ro te c t c hoosin g in ste a d to h urt a nd h um ili a te . “I'm pr etty s ure h e w ill no t s pe ak w it h y ou ,” H ou se r w ro te i n a n email. H e enco ura g ed m e, h ow ev er, to giv e i t a try . W hen m y l ette r r eq u esting an i nterv ie w w ent u nanswere d , I ca lle d L au x' s h om e i n D aw so n. “ Yo u k no w, y ou p eo p le a re a p ain in th e a ss!” h e y elle d , u pon h ea rin g w hy I w as ca ll i ng , and hung up.

“ h e's bl am ele ss. I 'm sure it' s a d efe ns e m ech ani sm .” H ou se r u pd ate d m e o n L au x's l if e s ince 1993. J ust a few y ea rs a ft e r t he t ra g ed y, h e w as v ote d co mmis sio ne r o f Rich ard so n C ou nty . W hen h is te rm end ed , h e t ook a job a s a co rre ct io ns o Nebra ska Sta te P enite ntia ry , w here L otte r s it s o n d ea th r ow . A s r ece nt ly a s 2010, h e ev en s erv ed o n h is co mmunity 's V illa g e B oard . N ow retir e d , h e d riv es a sch ool bu s.

s ch ool—s urpris ed m e. “ Well,” H ou se r l au gh ed , “ th ese a re n' t e xact ly o re w ard !” H e j oke d th at F alls C it y “ is a few m ile s f ro m the e nd s o f t he e arth ,” bu t a ssu re d m e th at h e a nd his co mpa tr io ts “ are a lot m ore e vo lv ed t han y ou m ig h t e xp ect .” M any law enf orce ment o se rie s o f ba d d ecis io ns w ere m ad e b y t he g uy a t t he t op a nd that w on' t be me i f so m eth ing like th is h appe ns again.

T od ay, po li ce veh icl es a re e qu ippe d w it h in- car v id eo s a nd o wir e le ss m icr oph one s s o th ey a re m oni to re d a nd held a cco unt abl e f or t heir a ct io ns .

Als o , ba sic l aw -e nf orce ment tra in ing is a n i ntens e 16 w eek s a t t he N ebr ask a L aw E nf orce ment T ra ining Center in G ra nd Isla nd , w here t he cu rricu lu m incl udes a vie wing and dis cu ssio n o f th e a nd sta g ed s exu al- a ssa u lt a nd dom estic- vio le nce sce na rio s be tw een s tr a ig h t a nd gay co uple s.

N ot to ju stif y h is w ro ng doing , bu t t o p artia ll y e xp la in L au x's i gno ra nce , Hou se r t old m e th at L au x' s tra ining w as f ar in fe rio r t o w hat o h is th ir d 4- yea r te rm as s heri 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 6/12 tr a ining experience wa s pr oba bly i n t he l ate 70' s o r e arly 80' s, w hen i t l aste d a ll o f s ix w eeks .” T od ay, B ra nd on T eena ’s e xpe rie nc e w ou ld be di Cou nty now h as a cce ss to service s f ro m Pro je ct R esp ons e, a support a dvo ca cy gro u p ba se d o ut o f O mah a a nd Linco ln t hat a ssis ts w it h d om estic v io le nce and sex u al a ssa u lt ca se s. “ If th ere w as s tr o ng evid enc e o f w it ne ss i nt im id atio n o r r ep ris a l a s t here w as i n th is ca se ,” H ou se r e xpl aine d, “ we w ou ld link up w it h P ro je ct R esp ons e a nd that pe rso n w ou ld be pu t in a safe h ou se , g iv en a cell p hone that ca n o nly d ia l 911 a nd th eir pe rso na l ph one wou ld be taken a way f ro m them so t heir p erp etr a to rs ca n't t ra ck th em dow n. ” “A ra pe,” h e co ntinu ed , “ espe cia lly o ne inv olv ing kid na pp ing , p hysica l a ssa u lt a nd dea th th re a ts w as a s ra re th en a s it i s t od ay.

o rd er vio la tio ns , D UIs , d riving u nder s usp ens io n a nd dom estic v io le nce . [A ca se l ik e B ra nd on' s] w ou ld be an e merg ency , a dro p -e v ery th ing sit u atio n—a nd it w ou ld pr oba bly be hand ed o ver to sta te p atr o l i nv estig ato rs, w ho h av e m ore r eso u rce s.” H ou se r l iv es w it h h is w if e o f 33 y ea rs, J uli e , e ig h t bl ock s f ro m the co urth ou se . I n mod ern- day F alls C it y —po pula tio n 4,300—co nserv atis m co mes i n t he f orm of “m ind you r o wn bu sine ss, l iv e y ou r o wn l if e ,” h e t old m e. W hile h e's s ure t here a re s o m e g ay s in to wn, “ th ey 'r e no t o vert a bo ut i t.

R ECO M MEN DED R EA D IN G I co uld n' t q uit e te ll if he m ea nt it app ro ving ly —a s i f g ay s s hou ld a vo id p ubl ic d is p la y s o f a t r a ining is clea r: H e r efe rre d to Bra nd on a s “ sh e,” ca lle d be ing tra ns gend er a A Bo y's L if e Wh en t he R efu ge es L an ded E LA INE G ODFREY D AV ID FR UM 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 7/12 “li f e sty le ,” a nd suggeste d d is crim ina tio n t ow ard s g ay p eo p le w as no n-ex is te nt in F alls C it y .

I a ske d, h ypo th etica lly , if he'd be w illi ng to d o a L GBT-s e ns it iv it y t ra ini ng sessio n w it h P FL A G , a queer a dvo ca cy gro u p f ou nd ed in 1972 t hat h as d one sig ni enf orce ment o utr e a ch in th e pa st, a s a w ay t o a ck no wle d ge t he m is h and li ng of Bra nd on' s ca se a nd “O h a bs olu te ly !” h e r espo nd ed . “ P FL A G w as h appy to help o ut w hen I exp la ine d t he i d ea . L iz O wen, t he co mmunica tio ns dir e cto r o f P FL A G N atio na l i n W ash ing to n D .C., a rra ng ed f or E lle n Ja m es o f th e O mah a ch apte r to train H ou se r a nd his s ta “ W e h av e a tra ining s essio n s ched u le d o n J an 18t h,” H ou se r w ro te t o m e t w o w eek s la te r. “ I a ls o invited our l oca l po li ce dep artm ent and ne ig h bo ring Sheri Ja m es, a law yer w it h a tra nsgend er d au gh te r, w ill be covering a lot o f g ro u nd , acco rd ing to O wen: “ Basic e du ca tio n a bout t he L GBT co mmuni ty —d e expl aining th e d i orie nta tio n. S he w ill a ls o co ver th e t erm ino lo gy i n t he t ra ns gend er co mmuni ty ; f act s abo ut h om ele ss y ou th a nd rese a rc h o n f am ily a cce pta nce ; and be st p ra ct ice s f or o “I w as d is cu ssing th e u pco ming pr ese nt atio n w it h o ne of m y d ep u tie s,” H ou se r w ro te to m e in o ne of o ur l ast e m ail e xch ang es, “ and he a sk ed : ' W hat i s t he d e tr a ns gend er pe rso n? ' I str u ggle d to de th at a tra nsgend er pe rso n is whate v er t hey s ay t hey a re .” I t's a sim ple co nce pt—h ono ring how ev er p eo p le w ant to d e re q u ir e s a lea p o f im ag ina tio n L otte r, N is se n a nd Lau x co uld n' t m ak e—a nd it w ou ld h av e m ad e a ll th e d i M OST P OPU LA R Vaccin e R efu se rs D on’t G et t o D ic ta te T erm s A nym ore J UL IETTE KAYYEM S te ph anie Fair y ing to n is a jou rna li s t in N YC . Twitter 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 8/12 The R em ote W ork – F ertili t y C on nec tio n STE PHANI E H. MU RRAY T he P an dem ic B ro ke a F un dam en ta l P rin cip le o f T ea ch in g ABB Y FRE IREICH AN D B RI AN PL ATZER W hat I L ea rn ed W hile E av esd ro p pin g o n t h e T ali b an IAN FRIT Z W hat I L ea rn ed W hen I R en te d M y P are n ts’ F orm er H om e a s a n A ir b n b THA D RUS SELL A m eric a n s A re L osin g S ig h t o f t h e P an dem ic E ndgam e CÉL INE R . GOUND ER T ru m pis m H as E nte re d I ts F in al F orm P ET ER WE HNER A S h if t i n A m eric a n F am ily V alu es I s F ueli n g E str a n gem en t JOS HUA C OLEMAN T he S an ctio n in g o f T ru m p’s L aw yers I s E xactly W hat I s S u ppose d to H ap pen B RA DLEY P. MOSS AN D J OA NNE M OLINARO T he P an dem ic ’s W ro n gest M an DER EK TH OMPSON M ake y o ur i n b ox m ore i n te re stin g . 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 9/12 Id eas t h at m atte r. S in ce 1 8 57.

Sub sc rib e a n d s u p port o ve r 1 6 0 y e ars o f in d ep en d en t jo urn alis m .

SU BSC RIB E A BO UT C O NTA C T PO DC ASTS S U BSC RIP TIO N FO LLO W Priv a c y P o lic y D o N ot S ell M y P e rs o nal I n fo rm atio n A dve rtis in g G uid elin es Te rm s C ond it io ns R esp onsib le D is c lo su re S it e M ap T h eA tla n tic .c o m C op yrig ht ( c ) 2 0 21 b y T h e A tla n tic M onth ly G ro up . A ll R ig hts R ese rv e d . E ac h w eekd ay e ve n in g , g et a n o ve rv ie w o f t h e d ay ’s b ig gest n ew s, a lo ng w it h f a sc in atin g id eas, im ag es, a n d p eo p le . S ee m ore n ew sle tte rs E n te r y o ur e m ail S ub m it 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 10/12 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 11/12 8/29/2021 Two Decades After Brandon T eena's Murder, a Look Back at Falls City - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/12/two-decades-after-brandon-teenas-murder-a-look-back-at-falls-city/282738/ 12/12