[Canada] So many victims

[Butterfly]

[Canada] So many victims

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=169817
Zosia Bielski, National Post 
December 15 2007

In Winnipeg, the bodies of 19 prostitutes -- 17 women and two transgendered men -- have turned up north and west of the city in the past 25 years.
The number is escalating: Three women have been murdered since April, the last being Fonessa Lynn Bruyere, 17, whose body was found in a field in August.

[Hazumu]

I responded:

Regarding:

So many victims -- Zosia Bielski, National Post   Published: Saturday, December 15, 2007

And specifically:

"In Winnipeg, the bodies of 19 prostitutes -- 17 women and two transgendered men -- have turned up north and west of the city in the past 25 years."

I'm enquiring about the aforementioned "transgendered men".  Did you mean they were born female and had transitioned to male, or were they born male, and transitioned to female?

I don't have the Associated Press style guide handy, but I believe it says to identify a male-to-female transgendered person as a trans-female, and a female-to-male transgendered person as trans-male -- IF it is important to the story to make that distinction.  Otherwise, reporters are encouraged to only identify individuals as their gender of presentation if their being transgendered has no impact on the story.

I take this seriously for two reasons:

I'm a retired military journalist, and continue to work in the field of military journalism as a civilian.  Accuracy and adherence to standards are important.  and;

I am a trans-female, and educating the public so that they do NOT view transgenders as freaks is very important and close to my heart.

And as a reporter, I could think of several ways to present the information in the paragraph I referenced that would get the essential information across (two of the 17 deceased were transgendered) without painting those two victims of homicide as freaks.

Please review this OpEd piece I wrote for further information:
http://www.thereporter.com//ci_7617470?IADID=Search-www.thereporter.com-www.thereporter.com

Sincerely;

Karen J. Savage, SFC USA (ret.)
Military broadcaster/journalist