Defamatory trans reference in: "Worst Week Ever: Republicans Unhinged"

[Hazumu]

Published in PJPOLITICS

Picked up by HUFFINGTON POST

The part that bothers--

In Louisiana, Senator David Vitter, himself a right-wing madman, realized this week that he will likely face a dual primary challenge: by porn star Stormy Daniels (it is still unclear whether she -and we assume it is a she-- was involved in Vitter's pay for sex diaper play, but let's not rule it out);

I went to the authors' contact page and left the below e-mail -- and I encourage others to do the same.

RE: Worst Week Ever: Republicans Unhinged

In that article, you wrote:
"In Louisiana, Senator David Vitter, himself a right-wing madman, realized this week that he will likely face a dual primary challenge: by porn star Stormy Daniels (it is still unclear whether she -and we assume it is a she-- was involved in Vitter's pay for sex diaper play, but let's not rule it out);"

Specifically, "-and we assume it is a she--"

"it"...

Hi.  I'm a post op male-to-female transsexual.  Does that make me an 'it' in your worldview taxonomy?

Referring to African-Americans as 'it' dehumanizes them.  Referring to Pakistanis as 'it' dehumanizes them.  Referring to any racial or ethnic group as 'it' dehumanizes them.  Same with Religious adherents.  Same with disabilities, cultural heritage, sexual orientation and, my pigeonhole - gender identity.

I was really enjoying your blog entry -- up until you reminded me that there are intolerant prickheads out there who see me and those like me as less than human.

I retired from the military where I was a military journalist, so I can comment a little bit on your craft. 

You could have made the allusion without giving me and my trans-brothers and -sisters a gut-punch.  You could have said, "and we assume she was assigned female at birth"  Lacks the 'zing'?  I think most of your readers would still get the point/joke.

We'd appreciate the joke then, too, though the media I've seen of her doesn't set off my trans-dar (have you seen something that leads you to suspect she's trans?)

But using 'it' to refer to the gender variant is utter disrespect.

Sincerely;

Karen J. Savage