Cosmopolitan (Cosmo) Magazine/Hearst Corporation: Apologize for transphobic article/Stop publishing transphobic articles
Petition by
Ariel Bustamante
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.change.org/petitions/cosmopolitan-cosmo-magazine-hearst-corporation-apologize-for-transphobic-article-stop-publishing-transphobic-articles?fb_action_ids=10151235749231770%2C10151235476101770&fb_action_types=change-org%3Arecruit&fb_ref=__tIwJNAKbUt&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={%2210151235749231770%22%3A480461772016101%2C%2210151235476101770%22%3A480461772016101}&action_type_map={%2210151235749231770%22%3A%22change-org%3Arecruit%22%2C%2210151235476101770%22%3A%22change-org%3Arecruit%22}&action_ref_map={%2210151235749231770%22%3A%22__tIwJNAKbUt%22%2C%2210151235476101770%22%3A%22__tIwJNAKbUt%22} (http://www.change.org/petitions/cosmopolitan-cosmo-magazine-hearst-corporation-apologize-for-transphobic-article-stop-publishing-transphobic-articles?fb_action_ids=10151235749231770%2C10151235476101770&fb_action_types=change-org%3Arecruit&fb_ref=__tIwJNAKbUt&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210151235749231770%22%3A480461772016101%2C%2210151235476101770%22%3A480461772016101%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210151235749231770%22%3A%22change-org%3Arecruit%22%2C%2210151235476101770%22%3A%22change-org%3Arecruit%22%7D&action_ref_map=%7B%2210151235749231770%22%3A%22__tIwJNAKbUt%22%2C%2210151235476101770%22%3A%22__tIwJNAKbUt%22%7D)
Cosmo's March 2013 edition featured it's regular "Fearless Confessions- Worst Date EVER" column in its latest edition. Stories featured tell the story of male-identified people who have ruined dates from the worse manners imaginable to dining-and-dashing. This month's column features the story of a reportedly transwoman who stalked women on dating sites in order to find her ideal match to mimic, emulate, and supposedly "become". Entitled "He didn't want to date me, he wanted to BE me", the article uses an image of hairy, masculine leg in a delicate, feminine heal and tells the story of "Chris" (name changed*) and uses pronouns "he, him, and his" throughout the story to refer to this person who lacked social graces- randomly divulging personal details of their life via text message- and ultimately purposely deceived the unsuspecting date-to-be in order to steal her secrets of beauty and style.
Years ago, Seventeen magazine featured a transphobic article about a young, abusive, and again DECEPTIVE transgender man. Seventeen's parent company, Hearst, is also the publisher of Cosmo. After an overwhelming response from various outlets, Seventeen apologized in a future edition. Cosmopolitan should do the same. The narrative of the lurking transgender person is not only a petty attempt at entertainment that many media outlets have taken advantage of when quality is lacking but is also a terrible representation of the transgender community.
Please join me in contacting Cosmo/Hearst. This time, I not only seek an apology from Cosmo but from Hearst.