media

[Riley Skye]

The media really needs to stop using transgender people birth names, it is insulting and no one needs to know it. I personally don't ever plan on telling people my birth name as it wasn't me and I have a huge amount of dysphoria towards it

[ImagineKate]

I guess it's personal preference. Some don't mind opening up while some completely abhor their past.

[bluebirdx88]

The media really needs to stop using transgender people birth names, it is insulting and no one needs to know it. I personally don't ever plan on telling people my birth name as it wasn't me and I have a huge amount of dysphoria towards it

Don't get me started on the media... I mean sure, that's bad enough.. But the worse part IMHO is how we're usually used mostly as something (yes, objectification) of a joke, or to be taken pity of.... (usually quite in quite a undocumented way..)

I used to love The Simpsons, till I saw how transphobic some of their jokes where, to the point it was even an episode closing joke once..

Modern Family? Exact same story.... Russel Howard? Same story too; I used to love him and look up to him up until I noticed transphobia as a joke used on his Good News show...

Also in movies.... Ace Ventura anyone? And 90% of teen / stoner comedies?

And when it's not comedy, they do it equally bad... I used to love VICE... Matter of fact I can't hold back from watching their documentaries once in a while.. Until I saw a video that was about transexual individual's problems .. And eh... I've never seen the word '->-bleeped-<-' used so many times in my life.. Also on TV here there was a program about transexual prostitutes... And guess what the magic word was? Yes, ->-bleeped-<-s...

I have nothing against ->-bleeped-<-s, drag-queens, and the rest.. But we're not the same thing, not by a long shot.... So why the hell do we have to be tagged as the same? This representation from the media in so many levels is the reason why the world is what it is today in part....

[Riley Skye]

The problem is that they believe we are men. They do everything in their power to show that. According to the patriarchy the worst thing you can call anyone, especially a man is a woman. Our society doesn't respect women and those who defy the sexist norms are thrown lower and lower until you reach us trans women. They hate us, look at famous movies such as Psycho, Silence of the Lambs and Insidious 2. They go a length to show that we're just really demented freaks that are only like this because of some ->-bleeped-<-ed up ->-bleeped-<- thats happened to us. Seriously wtf. With all that said I'm glad that Stephen Colbert covered our issues on a show and interviewed Janet Mock in a respectful way. Seriously does it have to take a comedian to treat us like people and not freaks?

[Foxglove]

Here in Ireland we recently had a new sit-com on TV that had a transwoman in it.  It was fairly appalling.  We're not talking about a man in a dress.  More like a cave man in a dress.

Naturally lots of us, either as individuals or as organizations, complained to the broadcasting company, who argued that this transwoman was being portrayed sympathetically.  You have to wonder what they would consider an unsympathetic portrayal.

So we took the next step by lodging complaints with the Broadcasting Authority whose role it is to make sure that things on TV and radio are fair and above-board.  Their ruling was that this show was OK.  So our national broadcasting company has been given the go-ahead to do what they like with transpeople.

One irony is that LGBT-haters often complain about how the liberal media are promoting the "gay/trans agenda" to a vulnerable and unsuspecting public.  We're such evil people.  Sometimes I hate myself for what I'm doing to my fellow-citizens.

[Riley Skye]

What is the show called? It's a shame that when the media thinks it does a good job in portraying a trans woman it is really a guy in a dress playing some ->-bleeped-<-ed up person, Jared Leto for instance. Then when it comes out everyone congratulates each other but as soon as we raise objections we are told to shut up. They believe that they know what's best for us and we aren't even allowed in the conversation. For example I try explaining to my family why Jared Letos performance was offensive and rather than listen and discuss they get angry and defensive at the trans woman!

[Foxglove]

What is the show called?

It's called "The Centre".  The transwoman in question is a staff member at a community centre.  I don't have a TV myself, so I didn't have to see the whole series.  I saw the first episode on-line and that was enough.  I think the consensus on the show was that it was poor stuff and wouldn't last long anyway.  It can also be pointed out that transpeople weren't the only minority that this show was having a go at.  It was a delightful production.

[Ms Grace]

With all that said I'm glad that Stephen Colbert covered our issues on a show and interviewed Janet Mock in a respectful way. Seriously does it have to take a comedian to treat us like people and not freaks?

True, but even Colbert's show has run its fair share of jokes which disparage trans people (often in segments like The Word, etc). It's kind of to be expected since Colbert plays a conservative pundit and all and sundry come in for a satirical pasting. But it's easy to tell when it's the minority rather than conservatives that are the target of the joke and it used to be that trans people were clearly the butt of it. Colbert was called out in it and lifted his game which was good to see.

[Riley Skye]

True, but even Colbert's show has run its fair share of jokes which disparage trans people (often in segments like The Word, etc). It's kind of to be expected since Colbert plays a conservative pundit and all and sundry come in for a satirical pasting. But it's easy to tell when it's the minority rather than conservatives that are the target of the joke and it used to be that trans people were clearly the butt of it. Colbert was called out in it and lifted his game which was good to see.

I have seen it before as well but not since he covered it. It seems that the people on the Colbert Report finally learned that ->-bleeped-<- jokes are cheap and mean, even if if it's just a quip. Unfortunately we were kicked out of the lgbt movement and everyone for so many years have seen us as a joke.

[Cindy]

We do what the G&L community did.

Everytime there is something disparaging on the media contact them. Call them, lodge a complaint. Do it ASAP, phone them, ask to speak to the director or manager. Call their sponsors and tell them you will not be using or buying their products as they were advertised on a TG hate program. The quickest way to change the media is through their pocket.

Report them to anti-discrimation bodies, take them on in public and in private. Let them know that we have been insulted and we will not stand for it.

Unless we stand up for ourselves no one else will.

[emilyking]

I think part of the problem is that Transsexuals are lumped together with people who are Transgendered.  My guess is, that people see them as the same (which they are so totally not).

Unfortunately, it's just as bad with Intersex conditions as well.  I saw an episode of "House", where a modal found out she had Complete Andergen Insensitivity Syndrome.  But when Dr. House found out he kept calling her he/him. 

[Jaime R D]

I think part of the problem is that Transsexuals are lumped together with people who are Transgendered.  My guess is, that people see them as the same (which they are so totally not).

Unfortunately, it's just as bad with Intersex conditions as well.  I saw an episode of "House", where a modal found out she had Complete Andergen Insensitivity Syndrome.  But when Dr. House found out he kept calling her he/him.

Transsexuals are part of the transgender umbrella, its all a matter of degree(somewhat) and what someone wishes to identify as, not so totally different, you know...