Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Signs of Disrespect
Zoe Brain
http://aebrain.blogspot.com/2009/01/signs-of-disrespect.html (http://aebrain.blogspot.com/2009/01/signs-of-disrespect.html)
From Bilerico:
A December 28 crime report on WTHR.com detailing the murder of a transgender woman and her boyfriend in Broad Ripple, Indiana used the incorrect name, the wrong pronouns and described the transgender victim's life in a generally offensive manner.
snip
Instead of taking our advice the reporter rebuffed our educational efforts saying in an email, "I did not do this story based on lifestyle." Jefferson furthered, "Our goal is to catch the killer- NOT promote your cause." He also said he did not use female pronouns because he said the transgender victim "was NOT post-op."
And style-guides are for other people...
Of course it's not the first example. Or the second, or third, or fourth... it happens more often than not, though the stories usually get corrected.
It's pretty messed up when a murder victim can't even be referred to with the right pronouns. :(