Susan's Place Transgender Resources

http://www.glaad.org/blog/katie-couric-feature-trans-advocates-carmen-carrera-laverne-cox-today
Source: GLAAD Authors:  Alexandra Bolles

This afternoon [1/6/14] (http://katiecouric.com/2014/01/06/money-myths-busted/) at 3PM EST, tune into Katie Couric's "Katie" as she meets with two of the transgender community's advocates, who are also celebrities with brightly shining stars: Carmen Carrera and Laverne Cox.

------------------------
If I find a clip, I'll post it.

Ahhhhh!  It's 4:15 my time.  I missed it.

Thanks though.

It was good but it was very short. They were only on for like 5 to 10 minutes.

I saw Laverne Cox , but no sound had headphones on working out. Anything interesting, was Katie Couric respectful?

Katie asked Carman the question of what did she have down below. And Carman Was like no no hunny even Laverne pipped in about it aying there was no reason to ask such questions.

You can see both here

http://katiecouric.com/videos/carmen-carreras-quest-to-become-a-victorias-secret-angel/ (http://katiecouric.com/videos/carmen-carreras-quest-to-become-a-victorias-secret-angel/)

And

http://katiecouric.com/videos/orange-is-the-new-black-laverne-cox/ (http://katiecouric.com/videos/orange-is-the-new-black-laverne-cox/)

Wow, Laverne's response to the genitalia question was perfect.

LearnedHand I know right so well spoken

Quote from: Lana P on January 06, 2014, 07:53:41 PM
You can see both here

http://katiecouric.com/videos/carmen-carreras-quest-to-become-a-victorias-secret-angel/ (http://katiecouric.com/videos/carmen-carreras-quest-to-become-a-victorias-secret-angel/)

And

http://katiecouric.com/videos/orange-is-the-new-black-laverne-cox/ (http://katiecouric.com/videos/orange-is-the-new-black-laverne-cox/)

Thx for the link Lana. I'm disappointed in Katie Couric. I thought the first interview was respectful , but uninformed. Then asking Laverne the same question she asked Carmen rubbed me the wrong way. Not drumming up hate for K. Couric. Usually I like her. The second time she asked about genitalia seemed like she didn't respect her privacy and thought it was silly. When in reality she was focused on shock factor.

I haven't watched this, don't plan to, and I could have predicted this outcome. The majority of the media are friggin idiots.

Laverne's response was absolutely right on!

Its really disappointing that Katie was only really doing the show so she could make a big deal about genitals.  I LOVE that Carmen and Laverne turned the tables and showed we are real human beings!  Hopefully this can be the beginning of seeing us just as women, instead of focusing on what's between the legs.

Katie Couric's Offensive Attempt to Interview 2 Transgender TV Stars

By H.H. Bhojani Tue Jan. 7, 2014

http://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2014/01/katie-couric-transgender-laverne-cox (http://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2014/01/katie-couric-transgender-laverne-cox)

On Monday, Elite model Carmen Carrera (a popular contestant on the reality show RuPaul's Drag Race) and actress Laverne Cox (Netflix's Orange Is the New Black) sat down with Katie Couric on her ABC show Katie. Arguably the highest-profile transgender women in the entertainment biz today, they're also outspoken activists on trans rights and issues. Unfortunately, Couric seemed unable to get beyond a schoolyard fascination with the women's "private parts," as you can see in the video

Sad to say it does not really surprise me. They did have poise and control of themselves and did us proud though. :) What is it with the public and media? We are not a scandal, we are people, end of story. ::)

Freaking sad.I honestly hope she offended enough people that watched and her show crashs and burns.just because you get the ability to put a trans' person in the hot seat,doesn't give you a right to set them on fire.its pure disrespect and because she has a big head,thinking she can because she's special.one of these days I want to see the tables turned.when someone won't let go of the private bits,they started getting asked about theirs and won't stop until they get the hint -_-

Thank God those two were on there and not others. I know some people feel pressured to answer invasive questions, and I feel for them, but these two women handled it absolutely flawlessly. I wouldn't expect anything less from Laverne (don't know much about Carmen). She's so composed, articulate, and intelligent, and I am very grateful to her for the work she does.

You ever have a moment when you're thinking something, and unsure of if saying it is a good idea or not because you just know you're going to anger some people by saying it?

...

I apologize in advance.

I watched both interviews and like everyone else, I feel it was inappropriate for Katie Couric to ask the question about genitalia to both Carman and Laverne. But at the same time ... I'm not sure she was going for shock value or sensationalism and that we may be being too tough on her.

I think that people who don't know a whole lot about trans people just don't get that there are some questions that aren't appropriate to ask someone. A lot of people who meet a transgender person, especially if that trans person happens to be the first one they've ever met have questions.

Me personally, I'm willing to educate people. But even then ... that doesn't mean I'm willing to answer questions about what's between my legs, what surgeries I plan to have, and other very personal information. So I think what happens is a lot of cisgender people who are just genuinely curious cross a few lines without really realizing it.

I think we need to have people in the media ask us this question very publicly so that we can very publicly tell them "We're still typical people and think about it a second: there are just some questions you do not ask anyone."

Our biggest problem is that people just don't know a lot about us. So as a result, they don't know what's acceptable. They don't realize when they're being rude or done a social faux pause or snafu. They don't understand the vocabulary when we talk.

I mean ... show of hands: How many people have seen someone get insulted when you use the term "Cisgender" because they think it's an insult or slang term we made up like "Muggle" in Harry Potter and they don't realize that the word is just the opposite of transgender?

How are we supposed to expect a talk show host to know what questions are inappropriate to ask us ... when they don't even know the most basic information? I didn't pick up on her asking the same question twice. I got the feeling she was asking the second time, "Why is this something she doesn't want to discuss? Is it just her, or did I cross a line"

And the answer she got was a very frank "Yeah... yeah Katie, yah crossed a line ... step back, and think." And hopefully a lot of people watching that show heard and understood that, because it may be the first time they ever thought about just how rude questions like that really are, and that in the grand scheme of things, there are far larger issues to discuss.

Quote from: Amy The Bookworm on January 08, 2014, 09:12:35 AM
You ever have a moment when you're thinking something, and unsure of if saying it is a good idea or not because you just know you're going to anger some people by saying it?

...

I apologize in advance.

I watched both interviews and like everyone else, I feel it was inappropriate for Katie Couric to ask the question about genitalia to both Carman and Laverne. But at the same time ... I'm not sure she was going for shock value or sensationalism and that we may be being too tough on her.

I think that people who don't know a whole lot about trans people just don't get that there are some questions that aren't appropriate to ask someone. A lot of people who meet a transgender person, especially if that trans person happens to be the first one they've ever met have questions.

Me personally, I'm willing to educate people. But even then ... that doesn't mean I'm willing to answer questions about what's between my legs, what surgeries I plan to have, and other very personal information. So I think what happens is a lot of cisgender people who are just genuinely curious cross a few lines without really realizing it.

I think we need to have people in the media ask us this question very publicly so that we can very publicly tell them "We're still typical people and think about it a second: there are just some questions you do not ask anyone."

Our biggest problem is that people just don't know a lot about us. So as a result, they don't know what's acceptable. They don't realize when they're being rude or done a social faux pause or snafu. They don't understand the vocabulary when we talk.

I mean ... show of hands: How many people have seen someone get insulted when you use the term "Cisgender" because they think it's an insult or slang term we made up like "Muggle" in Harry Potter and they don't realize that the word is just the opposite of transgender?

How are we supposed to expect a talk show host to know what questions are inappropriate to ask us ... when they don't even know the most basic information? I didn't pick up on her asking the same question twice. I got the feeling she was asking the second time, "Why is this something she doesn't want to discuss? Is it just her, or did I cross a line"

And the answer she got was a very frank "Yeah... yeah Katie, yah crossed a line ... step back, and think." And hopefully a lot of people watching that show heard and understood that, because it may be the first time they ever thought about just how rude questions like that really are, and that in the grand scheme of things, there are far larger issues to discuss.

I don't think you will anger anyone. Nothing wrong with trying to look for the good in ppl. I guess the two things that stood out to me was. first she asked a question she was told was inappropriate a second time. Second I'm pretty sure they do prep on guests, so I find it hard to claim ignorance on her part. All of that is just my opinion. You made your post intelligently and respectfully. I don't think anyone will have a problem with it.

Quote from: LearnedHand on January 06, 2014, 08:04:46 PM
Wow, Laverne's response to the genitalia question was perfect.

Actually, I would like to have seen something said about non-op women and specifically that genital surgery is not what makes one a woman.

I think very few people know this, mostly because their knowledge of transgender comes from media coverage which is as ignorant as they are.

This ignorance has bad consequences, in the form of laws that require us to have surgery to change our documents, use the proper rest room, etc., so I think a chance was missed here.

Laverne Cox "Grateful" For Controversial Katie Couric Interview
http://www.buzzfeed.com/saeedjones/laverne-cox-addresses-controversy-following-katie-couric-int
Saeed Jones; BuzzFeed

On Monday, actress and transgender activist Laverne Cox and model Carmen Carrera appeared on ABC's Katie [. . .]

"It is a state of emergency for far too many trans people in this country."  [Said Cox]

I agree with Amy, I don't think Katie was looking for shock value per se. I think it was honestly the question she thought people (her viewers) wanted to know the answer to. And it's not like people in general know much about the real issues we face, all they know is it's a physical process and maybe your loved ones reject you. But as Laverne said it can be much more serious than that. I also really like her response that was posted. She seems to not only have an educated view, but a compassionate view, and she saw the good intentions of those who invited her on the show even if they focussed on the wrong issue.

Quote from: caleb. on January 09, 2014, 06:03:45 PM
I agree with Amy, I don't think Katie was looking for shock value per se. I think it was honestly the question she thought people (her viewers) wanted to know the answer to.

I agree Caleb.

I'll go further though. If anyone of us is offended by the question, we have only ourselves to blame. We've done a TERRIBLE job of educating the public about our situation. We've more or less outsourced that to the media who spreads misinformation about us as often as it enlightens.

It does not help that the trans people who appeared on the old talk shows with such titles as Is she a man or a woman? Or I used to be a Man or whatever like The Jerry Springer show Or Maury Povich. Those shows were not very educational. And put a poor taste in my mouth. Just recently I was watching the Chelsea Lately and one of the comics made a bad joke on transgenders. It pissed me off.

Quote from: Amy The Bookworm on January 08, 2014, 09:12:35 AM
You ever have a moment when you're thinking something, and unsure of if saying it is a good idea or not because you just know you're going to anger some people by saying it?

I apologize in advance.

No apology needed Amy.  I was thinking the same thing.

Quote from: Amy The Bookworm on January 08, 2014, 09:12:35 AM
I didn't pick up on her asking the same question twice. I got the feeling she was asking the second time, "Why is this something she doesn't want to discuss? Is it just her, or did I cross a line"

And the answer she got was a very frank "Yeah... yeah Katie, yah crossed a line ... step back, and think." And hopefully a lot of people watching that show heard and understood that, because it may be the first time they ever thought about just how rude questions like that really are, and that in the grand scheme of things, there are far larger issues to discuss.

+1. 

(I had things to add, but I deleted them.  When I read over what I had typed, I realised that Amy had already stated it much better than I was attempting to.)

Both Carrera and Cox seemed very educated, tactful, and (most importantly) sane.  As someone who is finally finding the courage to have a voice after years of terror due to negative stereotypes and those horrible television shows from the 80s and 90s, to see those two speak with grace, turn the direction of the questions, and not come off as another crazy person... well it was inspiring.

Katie asked the typical ignorant question, yes, but to a lot of uneducated people I've had the opportunity to speak to (not come out to, just broach the subject in conversation) that's all trans is... nip, tuck, done.  Some very good points were made in the dress-down of Katie, and she as a host let them talk it out.

The way they got there did stink, but the positive message came out.  It really is a pity that it still has to be on talk shows.