Kia Ora,
I do see your point about some media outlets and how they like to sensationalise things...
However I also think at times the media are caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to trans-people...
As we know from this forum and others like it, there are some trans-people whom whole heartedly embrace the prefix "Trans" "Transgender" or "Transsexual"-woman/man[they are out and proud]...Are up front and when talking to the media this is how they see themselves [and in some cases even if the particular topic involved has nothing to do with being trans]
So when I read the article I just took it for granted Melissa 'must' have mentioned the fact she's a "transgender-woman"[this being important to how she self identifies] hence why the interviewer described her as such as opposed to just saying Melissa Ede, etc, etc...
Now if Melissa didn't think her being transgender was of any importance why would she feel the need to disclosed this to the media ? It would have been very inconsiderate/inappropriate of the interviewer to describe her as such without her permission/consent...
Personally I don't describe myself as a transgender woman nor a transsexual woman, both are things I had 'past' through to get to where I am today, however for convenience sake when on a forum such as this I will used the prefix just to clarify things, but in the real world it's a different story...I'm just a run of the mill female/woman...
In the long run if Melissa was not happy being portrayed as a "Transgender"-woman, I'm sure she would have mentioned it to them...
So back to the topic at hand[which was the whole point of this thread]... "A 'one way' ticket to Mars" would you take up the offer ?
Metta Zenda