[OH, USA] As expected the Columbus City Council last night passed a transgender anti-discrimination law. News report and video from NBC 4 in Columbus: “At Monday night’s Columbus City Council meeting, council had a plateful, voting on … whether or not to extend employment protection benefits to people who consider themselves to be transgendered. It was a packed house in council chambers as people listened in to hear which way council would vote…and they said yes to extending protections when it comes to discrimination because of age, disability, pregnancy or gender identity and expression.” — Citizens Pack In To Hear Council’s Decisions
(More on the new ordinance in Columbus can be found at the TransOhio blog.)
[USA] The Boston University student paper, BU Today, has a video feature today on transgender student, Emeri Burks: “But as a young boy growing up in Jefferson City, Mo., Emeri Burks wished only to be a girl. “I prayed every day for the body that would fix things, that would make everything right,” recalls Burks (CAS’08). “More than anything, I wanted to be anatomically and biologically female.” It wasn’t until sophomore year of high school that Burks learned of a word that explained the feelings he had wrestled with for years: transsexual. “A transsexual is someone who identifies with the opposite gender of his or her born sex,” Burks says. “For me, it means that in spite of what my body, my doctors, my teachers, and society have told me, I am — and always have been — female.” Last summer, Burks underwent sexual reassignment surgery, and today she has the body she wished for as a child. In the video above, she describes her transition from a deeply depressed boy to a much happier young woman. “At last,” she says, “I am whole.”” — “I Like That About Me.”
[CT, USA] “Testimony began Wednesday in the second murder trial of former Norwalk resident Anthony Rogers, already serving a 71 year sentence for murder, weapons and assault charges. Rogers, 26, is accused of shooting Ricky Lee Blakes, a 23-year-old student at Southern Connecticut University who was known by some in South Norwalk to be a cross-dresser … An affidavit in the case suggests police believe that Rogers’ motive in allegedly shooting Blakes was homophobia. A confidential informant told police Rogers had picked up Blakes after midnight on July 30, 2004, believing he was a woman. When Blakes made sexual advances and it became clear Blakes was a man, Rogers’ allegedly shot Blakes, dumped him out of the car, left the scene and then circled back to shoot into his body three more times, according to the document.” — Murder trial against convicted killer begins
[USA] From GLAAD, “According to the Pulse of Equality telephone survey among 2,008 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, conducted from Nov. 13-17, 2008, Americans support key policy proposals that affect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Among them … About six in 10 (63%) U.S. adults favor expanding hate crime laws to cover gay and transgender people. (Hate crimes laws cover gay and transgender people in 11 states and the District of Columbia, and an additional – 20 states’ laws cover sexual orientation but not gender identity.) … A slight majority of U.S. adults (51%) favor protecting gay and transgender people under existing laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. (Existing non-discrimination laws cover gay and transgender people in only 12 states and the District of Columbia, and eight other states’ laws cover sexual orientation but not gender identity.) … [GLAAD President Neil G.] Giuliano suggested that one of the crucial issues facing LGBT people is that many Americans aren’t aware of the injustices that they face. “Majorities of Americans clearly favor equality for gay and transgender people,” Giuliano added, “but we’ve seen that too many still mistakenly believe that the intolerance and injustices we face are things of the past. So it’s more vital than ever that we tell our stories, illustrate the injustices we face, and remind people of the common ground we share.” — Poll Shows Majorities of U.S. Adults Favor Legal Protections for Gay and Transgender Americans
[Colombia] “Homosexuals can remain in the closet and not be noticed, but that is not an acceptable alternative for transgender people who suffer violence to a greater extent in Colombia, where armed combatants in the conflicts too often turn prejudice into murder. “We are not interested in hiding our sexual preference,” and in this country “killing is easier” than in others, said Diana Navarro, the head of Corporación Opción, an organisation that works for the rights of prostitutes and transgender people, a term used in Colombia to refer to transvestites, transsexuals and cross-dressers … She estimates that the transgender population of Bogotá varies from 1,500 to 3,000, depending on the time of year. Their bold visibility represents “anarchy” in contrast with a “globalisation that would like to make people homogeneous,” so they are the first to be “expelled by the armed groups,” and the foremost victims of killings. Cali, the third largest Colombian city, is known as a death zone for transgender people. Out of 21 LGBT murders there in 2006 and 2007, no less than 16 were of transgender persons, a disproportionate number for that tiny minority, according to Colombia Diversa … Another of Navarro’s forceful views is that Catholicism is at the root of the violence against sexual minorities. The strong influence the Catholic Church retains in Colombia, and its conservative hierarchy, do heighten pressures against LGBT people, other activists agree.” — Colombia: Where Homophobia Totes a Gun
[UK] From The Telegraph, pantomime from A to Z: “Cross-dressing. How to explain this to incoming Americans, who have heard about us weird Brits? Well, guys, there’s the principal boy, who in reality is a gorgeous-looking female, then there’s the dame, who’s a (preferably big and ugly) bloke, and the ugly sisters, also blokes (even bigger and uglier). And in some productions the principal boy (who’s a girl) gets the girl (whose mother is a man, of curse). As for the cow… Dames. The quintessence of panto. Some great names – John Inman, Les Dawson, Jack Tripp, Paul O’Grady and Roy Hudd – have hung up their false bosoms one way or another, but the next generation, including Berwick Kaler, Christopher Biggins, Ken Morley and Clive Rowe are filling their size-nine slingbacks with elan … Fairies. Every good panto needs a fairy. I leave the jokes to you … ” — There’s nothing like a dame…
[International] “It’s not just women who buy products that promise to tuck, tighten and conceal their guts, butts and blemishes. Men have become the latest targets of marketers eager to sell merchandise that purports to improve and enhance everything from their abs to their skin to the shine of their hair … The man vanity craze is even spreading globally — bras made for cross-dressing men are flying off the shelves in Japan. But as strange as these products may seem at first glance, fashion experts say that with men becoming increasingly conscious of their appearance, it was only a matter of time before clothing makers caught on to an untapped source of revenue. [Men's fashion and grooming expert at About.com, Daniel] Billett said he’s recently seen an influx of makeup lines for men, male girdles and even underwear with butt padding.” — Marketers Aim to Man-Up Men: Bras, Tummy-Tucking Tanks Target Male Consumers
As I’m writing this piece early August 15th, there are two stories of really dehumanizing comments by large, corporate media outlets towards trans people in the news. The more recent of the stories is from August 14th on the Fox News Channel, in which Fox aired a crude and obnoxious segment concerning the recent announcement of America’s Next Top Model: there’s going to be a transgender contestant on the show. The earlier piece is from August 13th, in which a syndicated Clear Channel Communication morning radio show referred to the recently murdered transgender teen Angie Zapata as a “man,” a “he,” a “he/she,” a “thing,” and an “it.”
Fox News anchor Gregg Jarrett and Us Weekly Editor-at-Large Ian Drew spent the segment gratuitously insulting the America’s Next Top Model contestant, using dehumanizing terminology, inaccurate and inappropriate pronouns and offensive references to her anatomy.
While laughing and joking, Jarrett mocked Isis’ description of herself as a woman whose “cards were dealt differently,” and said, “That’s an understatement!” Drew referred to recent instances of transgender visibility on reality television as “The Crying Game ’08,” going on to call the show “America’s Next Top Tranny.” Drew then said that she doesn’t look any different from other contestants because “they are not exactly the most high-class group of women.” Throughout the segment, Jarrett switched back and forth between male and female pronouns, and both Jarrett and Drew suggested that Isis “fooled” people by “blending in.” They went on to make crude remarks about her genitalia and the pitch of her voice.
Here’s the segment:
Want to contact Fox News about this? From the GLAAD press release again:
Please contact Fox News Channel and call on them to apologize for these obnoxious, insulting and dehumanizing comments.
The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that ex-gay/former homosexual/alleged mouthpiece of God James Hartline is planning to organize his thousands of followers into not tip employees of the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
We have to back up a little, so here’s the story. Doug Manchester is a large shareholder of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, which is named for his family. He contributed $125,000 to Proposition 8 — also known as the California Marriage Protection Act — which is the ballot measure that would undo the California Supreme Courts’ marriage equality ruling.
LGBT civil rights activists and union leaders have organized a boycott of the Manchester Grand Hyatt because of the $125,000 donation. The Unite Here Local 30 is supporting the boycott; Unite Here Local 30 turns out to be the local that represents workers at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
Fred Karger, Public Relations Chair and founding President of Californians Against Hate organized a news conference about the LGBT boycott of the hotel. From a Union-Tribune article entitled Gay-rights supporters to boycott Manchester Grand Hyatt:
Fred Karger, who is helping to organize the boycott and is running an organization opposed to Proposition 8, said he is also urging the public to boycott Manchester’s other hotel, the Grand Del Mar.
“This is someone who is giving an exorbitant amount of money to write discrimination into the constitution for the very first time,” he said.
Karger said he hopes the boycott will send a message to other potential contributors to the Proposition 8 campaign.
“Our goal is to create a business loss for people who contribute,” he said. “We want to make it a little uncomfortable.”
Joelle Farrell and John Sullivan are the bylined writers of a Philadelphia Inquirer (Philly.com) piece entitled School challenge: Transgender student is age 9. Incredibly, the article gave out information that could help identify the specific daytime whereabouts and nighttime neighborhood of a nine year old transgender youth.
In addition to functionally outing a nine year old, the Philadelphia Inquirer also ignored reputable journalistic standards for how to refer to transgender people. They showed disrespect for the article’s transgender youth by to referring to her with male pronouns in a manner inconsistent with the Associated Press Stylebook‘s guidelines on how to refer to transgender people:
Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.
If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.
So, while writing about how the Philadelphia Inquirer contributed to the outing of a nine year old, remember that they called her a “him” in the process of outing her.
The decision to disrespect the child by referring to her by male pronouns was made by Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly.com Education Editor Rose Ciotta. Along with the publisher, Editor Ciotta is also responsible for deciding to publish the name of the elementary school the nine year old attended. The paper indicated to me that they obtained the name of the school from a much less well read Haverford Township blog — it strikes me as incredulous that the editor and newspaper believe that finding the name of the child’s school in a blog gave them license to publish this information that could endanger the youth.
Although neither the elementary school (which sent out a flier to parents indicating there was a transgender nine year old attending the elementary school), the Haverford Township blog, or Philadelphia Inquirer directly released the name of this transgender child to the general public, we do see a chain of events which led to a print media outlet publishing the name of the elementary school that the transgender youth attends. Think of it this way — when a print media outlet writes about a sexual assault victim, as a rule they don’t tell you where the sexual assault victim was employed, or in what neighborhood sexual assault victim lived. Yet within the pages of their hard copy and electronic newspapers, the Philadelphia Inquirer identified the elementary school the transgender youth attended to the general public. The publication told the public where this nine year old spends each school day, and the neighborhood where this nine year old lives.
One can only guess the Philadelphia Inquirer has never though about how that violence related to a youth’s gender variance is a real possiblility, or that conservative Christian adults may encourage mockery of (or even violence towards) a transgender child specifically because a child is transgender.
Refering to the child as “him,” publishing her daytime location and identifying where she and her family can face possible verbal and physical harassment — If I were the publisher of the Philadelphia Inquirer, I’d be very embarassed and ashamed that my publications published this article.
[What to do after the fold.]
Stories on transgender youth seem to be reaching the media more frequently these days; I’m not the only one who thinks the lack of concern for the privacy and safety of transgender youth is a problem. I spoke to Cindi Creager of GLAAD earlier this evening, I learned that GLAAD is very seriously considering adding a section on reporting on transgender youth for their 2008 update to the GLAAD Media Reference Guide. I suggested that they might want to discuss the issue of underage transgender youth story guidelines with the Associated Press at their next meeting too — Ms. Creager told me that was being thought about as an agenda item for their next meeting with the AP as well. I really believe guidelines for reporting on transgender youth have of late become incredibly necessary. The Philadelphia Inquirer‘s piece a reason why guidelines are incredibly necessary.
Please also consider letting the Haverford Township blog and the Philadelphia Inquirer know that they should treat information that could be used to out an LGBT youth with much more sensitivity and seriousness than they did in this case. And, should you contact these organizations, please don’t harass them with profanity or threaten them with violence — using profanity or the threat of violence to complain about possible harassment of, or violence towards transgender youth would make us as much the bullies as we don’t want any others to be.
- Philadelphia InquirerWrite to Us: Letters and Op-Eds
- Harvard Blog Contact Information
~~ Kim Pearson of TYFA provided background information for this diary.
~~~~~
Related:
* Outing #2: When You Endanger A Child For The Sensationalism Of It
* Literally Demonizing Transyouth
* Defense attorney of Lawrence King’s murderer: it’s the victim’s fault
* Parents confront officials about Lawrence King shooting
* Tired
* We Wouldn’t Want To Actually Tolerate Transgender People, Would We?
The news station apparently wasn’t interested in talking to anyone with expertise on transgender children to get the child’s perspective out in their on air broadcast. The accompanying print article refers comments from Kim Pearson, the TYFA Executive Director, but these weren’t included in their on air comments.
The Rocky Mountain News is doing an article on this story soon, but they at least are getting a perspective other than the worried parent in the same classroom.
- “I see this as being a very difficult situation to explain to my daughter to explain why someone would not want to be the gender they were born with,” said Dave M.
His daughter will be in the same class as the student.
- “I do think that there’s going to be an acknowledgement that ‘Why are you in a dress this year when you were in pants last year?’” said Dave M.
- That thought is not comforting to Dave M., who believes his daughter is not ready to think about the issue of being transgender.
“I don’t think a 3rd grader does have the rationale to decide this life-altering choice,” said Dave M.
- [Dave M.] is also unhappy with the way the school is handling this. The district has been preparing for the child’s return to this school for months. Dave M. thinks other parents should have been made aware of this sooner.
“I just find it ironic that they can dictate the dress style of children to make sure they don’t wear inappropriate clothing, but they have no controls in place for someone wearing transgender clothing,” said Dave M.
Yes, let’s force everyone to conform.
For an idea of how irresponsible the press is in releasing this to public in this sensationalized way, let’s remember that the child we are talking about is in third grade. This be emotionally disastrous for this child due to the media attention. Has anyone looked at LGBT youth suicide rates lately?
And, it could have been dangerous with for this transgender third grader even without the media coverage. Let’s not forget about what the Christian Civic League encouraged in Maine. In their online publishing arm — The Record — they commended a grandfather for encouraging his grandchild to protest an m2f transgender classmate. From that commendation:
Mr. Melanson told his grandson to use the girls’ bathroom whenever he saw the other ten-year-old boy using it. Melanson reasons that the same anti-discrimination laws that are likely to be used to justify one boy’s use of the girls’ bathroom may also be used to justify his grandson’s use of the same bathroom.
His reasoning is sound. Nevertheless, he has been told by school administrators, and the local police, that his grandson cannot use the girls’ bathroom. The administration persists is allowing only one boy to use the girls’ bathroom at the Asa Adams Elementary School.
In a blog on NARTH’s website, Berger expressed disgust with a Northern California school that accommodated a cross-dressing kindergartner and other children with “gender-variant” behaviors. Berger said that instead of teaching tolerance, schools should “let the other children ridicule” boys and girls who don’t conform.
“It is a mistake for various interfering, ignorant and biased busybodies to try to ‘counsel’ the other children into accepting the abnormal,” Berger wrote. “It is very healthy to be able to draw the line between what is healthy and what is sick.”
So, with our third grader, we see religious right organizations have advocated protesting transgender elementary school kids, as well as ridiculing them. Well, I feel Christ’s love there, don’t you?
For those of us with LGBT families, do any of us think that outing an LGBT elementary school child in the media is responsible? Would you have wanted to be outed by the television news, even if they didn’t mention your name?
My best wishes are for the continued health and well being of this child, especially after this kind of press coverage.
~~~~~~
Note: I talked to Kim Pearson of TYFA on the phone Thrusday night, and she told me that GLAAD is going to take on News9 for their article and news story. That’s good news to my ears, that’s for sure.
…a grotesque, violent new product marketed by actor Joseph R. Gannascoli and Rockwell Billiards. Gannascoli, who played the gay character Vito Spatafore on the hit HBO drama, The Sopranos has authorized his name to be used on a pool stick branded with the phrase “A Cue to Die For.” The new product plays on the fact that Vito was beaten to death on The Sopranos with pool cues and then sodomized with one.
It’s as if Rockwell Billiards is clueless that hate crime violence happens in the real world.
The history of our great country includes some awful episodes. For example:
In 1926, the American Association of Physical Anthropology and the National Research Council organized a Committee on the Negro, which focused on the anatomy of blacks and reflected the racism of the time. Among those appointed to the Committee on the Negro were Hrdlicka, Earnest Hooton and eugenist Charles Davenport. In 1927 the committee endorsed a comparison of African babies with young apes. Ten years later the group published findings in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology to “prove that the negro race is phylogenetically a closer approach to primitive man than the white race.”[1]
I can’t imagine the South Florida Sun-Journal today publishing commentaries on eugenics that that would be considered offensive, and demeaning the intelligence or morals of a race or class of people (such as women or disabled people). In the same vein, I also wouldn’t expect to read a commentary in the Sun-Journal that claimed African-Americans, women, and disabled were as a group were delusional or untruthful about their experiences with racism, sexism, or their medical conditions. Nor could I imagine a situation involving race, gender, or disability where the Sun-Journal would suspend their styleguide (or the Associated Press styleguide) to allow the slurring of an entire race or class of people.
Yet, the Sun-Journal published an article by Amanda Hollmann that slurs transgender people as a group, and Susan Stanton as an individual. The article by Hollmann ignored what the healthcare professionals at The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association wrote in their Standards Of Care For Gender Identity Disorders[2], which articulates the “international organization’s professional consensus about the psychiatric, psychological, medical, and surgical management of gender identity disorders.” (There is no recognized standard of care for “curing” transsexuals.)
And, Hollmann’s article was written using male pronouns, in contention with the Associated Press Stylebook, 2006, which states:
transgender. Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.
If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.
And, Hollmann’s article declared that transsexuals, such as Stanton, are delusional liars.
I believe that the Sun-Journal’s publishing of Hollmann’s article says as much or more about the journalistic standards of the Sun Journal as it does about Hollmann’s specious arguments.
[2] Walter Meyer III M.D. et al, (February, 2001) The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association’s Standards Of Care For Gender Identity Disorders. Sixth Version. Retrieved June 18, 2007 from The World Professional Association For Transgender Health, Inc. http://www.wpath.org/Documents2/socv6.pdf
With all of the changes this year in how various forms of media — including the entertainment media – with how transgender people and issues are covered, I’m going to start documenting how transgender is becoming the new gay. I mean that in the sense that the transgender civil rights movement is following a similar path to the one the gay civil rights movement has taken over the past 40-years.
Today’s example story is in how transfolk keep coming out younger and more publicly (just like coming out gay age has now dipped to the early to mid-teens from the middle-age coming out age averages of just post-Stonewall) and are fighting for the right to be themselves in hostile environments.
FORT WORTH – When Rochelle Evans chooses what she’s going to wear to Eastern Hills High School each day, her choices aren’t solely fashion statements. To Rochelle, her flats, makeup and women’s jeans represent a hard-fought right to express herself.
And a subtle declaration about transgender teens everywhere.
The 15-year-old transgender sophomore, who started high school as Rodney Evans, recently fought a public battle against school administrators over wearing women’s clothes and her reaction when confronted by school officials. As part of the deal, Rochelle is addressed as a female and gets to use the nurse’s bathroom to avoid any awkward scenes in the boys’ or girls’ restroom.
“I just felt more comfortable being a girl,” she said. “I’m not asking for any special treatment.”
And in a parallel course of events, there is Religious Right backlash. The National Association For Research And Therapy Of Homosexuality (NARTH) released the story entitled Gender Confused Teenage Boy Wins Right To Wear Girl’s Clothing To School (subtitled: The mainstream media is apparently conspiring with transgender confused persons by labelling [sic] them ‘girls’ when they’re genetically boys):
Rodney Evans is a 15-year-old boy who attends Eastern Hills High School in Fort Worth, Texas. He has recently won the right to wear girl’s clothing to school and to require others to call him “Rochelle” instead of Rodney…
…The reporter [of the , Debra Dennis, referred to this boy as “she” throughout the article, even though he is genetically a male and has not undergone any sort of hormone or surgical procedure yet.
His attorney is Phyllis Randolph Frye who has been involved in transgender political activities for years. Frye underwent male-to-female sex surgery years ago and is a well-known activist among gay and transgender groups.
NARTH President Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D., notes: “No matter how much this boy wants to be a girl–and dresses in a more ‘girly” style than do biological females–he cannot possibly be one, and for the media to conspire with his fantasy is absurd. All his DNA reflects the fact that he is male, and nothing can change that. It’s ironic, though, that the same mainstream media that brackets the term ‘ex-gay’ in scare quotes is willing to call a boy who wears high heels a ‘she.’”
Rochelle is going to have to be strong to be transgender in a hostile school and cultural religious right context. It looks like Rochelle is up to it, and is going to be powerful example for other transyouth coming out in their schools.
transgender : Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.
If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.
What the heck is it with the mainstream media being so concerned about what transsexuals wear in public? This is from the first paragraph of Phil Davis’s Associated Press account of Susan Stanton not being hired as the Sarasota City Manager:
Steve Stanton was fired as city manager in Largo two months ago after announcing his plans to become Susan Stanton. On Wednesday, Stanton, wearing a white skirt, pumps and makeup, applied for the top job in this cosmopolitan tourist town, and was turned down.
My male-to-female transsexual peers and I are more than just phr3qs wearing appropriate skirts, pumps, and make-up.
Hey Phil, Ms. Stanton was a city manager for 14-years — why would you think defining any other woman in the sexist terms of her skirt as good journalism? Would you think it appropriate journalism to describe exactly how a natal female applicants were dressed for a city job interview without describing in equal detail how the natal male applicants were dressed?
With all respects to Geico, Phil “sweetie,” are you a caveman?
I’m e-mailing my GLAAD rep today or tomorrow — Hope it does some good.
I received this is response to my recent letter to Amanda Perez:
Ms. Sandeen,
Thank you taking the time to express your concerns. I understand that gender identification is a sensitive issue and want you to know I did not mean to offend anyone. Before the piece aired, I did ask Johnny how he would like to be identified. Johnny told me it didn’t matter whether I used ‘he’ or ‘she.’ Again, I do understand this is a sensitive issue and appreciate your feedback.
Thank you for visiting our website.
Sincerely,
Amanda Perez
I’d say this was a very positive, agreeable response.
I’m sending this letter off to ABC30.com, out of Fresno California. It’s a wonderful story about a transgirl winning a Prom Queen title, yet the piece is somewhat diminished by the inappropriate use of male pronouns throughout the article and accompanying video.
~~A~~
I’ve today read online the article “A History Making Moment At A Valley Prom” by Amanda Perez, and noted ABC30’s use of male pronouns to describe Crystal Vera.
I please ask that your news organization review your stylebook. I respectfully request your station/online publishing group follow the Associated Press Stylebook, 2006 edition, where on page 249 it states under the transgender entry:
Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.
If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.
I listened to the accompanying video clip, and heard that Chrystal expressed her desire to that she be referred to as a female.
I would request ABC30 update it’s online article to reflect Chrystal Vera’s gender, vice her sex, in accordance with the Associated Press Stylebook, 2006 edition.
Thank you very much for your assistance.
Sincerely
Autumn Sandeen
——
See other letters of complaint I’ve written to news stations here. These are the kind of letters that you, my gentle transgender readers, could also be sending to news stations too!
Gay Wired: GLAAD Applauds Univision Radio’s Suspension of ‘The Luis Jimenez Show’
Excerpt: Jiménez established a pattern of defamatory slurs directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people during his 13 years as the host of El Vacilón de la Mañana at WSKQ-FM Mega 97.9, the New York affiliate of Spanish Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). At SBC, Jiménez and his co-host, “Moon,” were widely known for routinely making homophobic and transphobic comments.
Woman In Progress: Nothing superficial about it; A tag-team of emails caught my attention over the weekend.
Excerpt: “I think you are incredibly brave and a most generous person to share your transition with the whole world! I’ve been reading your blog and it has been making me think about ‘what characterizes a woman.’ This may not be the time in your life to think about this question, but I want to throw it out to you and maybe in five years you’ll want to discuss it. . .”
San Francisco Chronicle: The Leg Warmers Were A Dead Giveaway
U. of Washington’s Class of ’57 time capsule, sealed 50 years ago, is found to contain ’80s porn.
Words have power. Words in the media have more. That’s why Michael Savage’s recent disgusting on-air tirade slandering Ruby Ordenana, a 24-year-old transgender woman who was found murdered on March 16, was so dangerous. I know you’ve read this before: Hate speech creates an environment where hate crimes are acceptable. But is anybody listening when those words slander transgender people?
SAVAGE’S COMMENTS MAKE the world an even more dangerous place for me and my trans brothers and sisters. Ruby’s body was found nude, lacerated and strangled, and the attention-seeking Savage called her a “freak” and a “psychopath.”
What is worse, Michael Savage (who no one expects to deliver actual news) is not the only trans-bashing voice in the media. Try reading through some transcripts from CNN’s Glenn Beck or MSNBC’s Tucker Carlson. Enabled by networks, producers and advertisers in this dangerous defamation, here’s Carlson in his own words:
“Just because you’re castrated and have a fake set of boobs does not make you a woman. It makes you a castrated man with a fake set of boobs. If a person voluntarily undergoes a castration. . .that is an act of a crazy person. . . .That’s like setting your hair on fire or blinding yourself . . .and I don’t want a person that unstable teaching my kids.”
And from CNN’s talking head Glenn Beck reporting on a trans teen who was turned away from her prom for wearing a dress:
“Don’t we as a society, don’t we have the right to say, what the hell is wrong with you? … Go home and change, freak boy.”
In the article he announced the formation of a website: Trans Media Watch. As someone who follows how media covers transpeople, this is a blog I’m going to watch . I know I hope that this idea of tracking how media covers transgender people nets positive attention and results.
I’m tired of racism, sexism, and anti-gay, anti-disabled, anti-transgender, and anti-Christian material being put out on the public airwaves. Where are the advertisers/businesses who demand that acceptance of diversity on the airwaves occurs in the same way they demand support for diversity in their workplaces?
(New York City) A New York radio station that ignored criticism after two of his morning show stars called a musician a “fag” on air has suspended the shock jocks following a prank phone call to a local Chinese restaurant that was filled with ethnic slurs.
The call was made by “JV” and “Elvis” on WFNY the day after WFAN’s Don Imus made his comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team and was replayed a week after Imus was fired.
Both stations are owned by CBS Radio.
In the mock call, a woman employee at the Chinese restaurant was told by the caller that he would like to “come to your restaurant” to see her naked, especially the body part he referred to as “hot, Asian, spicy.”
He then attempts to order “flied lice,” and uses a series of racial slurs and four lettered words.
The program was denounced by an Asian American rights group.
Ironically, “VJ”, whose real name is Jeff Vandergrift, and “Elivs”, Dan Lay, were suspended the day that a spokesperson from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation was to have gone on the show for an apology for homophobic remarks that the station laughed off earlier this month.
[USA] The “Earthlings Welcome Here” episode of Terminator, which aired Monday evening on Fox (and which can be viewed online here), featured a transgender character. Some reactions to the episode from Kate Bornstein and GLAAD. — Kate Bornstein Weighs in on Last Night’s Trannytastic Terminator, Terminator Terminates Transgender TV Cliches
— Repentance
He says it’s a boycott. 
TS Policy Review: 