Trans Erasure Again In The Coverage Of The Puerto Rico Hate Crime Victim
by: Autumn Sandeen
Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 15:30:00 PM EST
http://pamshouseblend.com/diary/14158/trans-erasure-again-in-the-coverage-of-the-puerto-rico-hate-crime-victimWhen the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) mainstream media (MSM) can't get trans related stories right, I have to wonder what the hell is wrong with LGB reporters who the lack of competency regarding trans people and issues. Trans people are part of the LGBT community; it's not that incredibly hard to develop professional relationships with transgender people; not that hard to familiarize oneself with the Associated Press Styleguide, GLAAD Media Guide's Transgender Glossary, and the old NLGJA Styleguide Supplement.
This is what the Associated Press Styleguide states under the term 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.
So how should a LGBT media organization report on the murder of a street sex worker who had male genitalia, who presented as female? Not as 365Gay did in their piece they egregiously titled Murder suspect thought Puerto Rico gay teen was a woman:
