Quote from: Rowan Rue on April 09, 2013, 11:00:29 PM
Not a bad article, I was a little annoyed about the editorial at the start and it's use of pronouns but still pretty good. I wish it had been a little deeper.
As a journalist myself, I think the criticism of the 'misgendering' is very unfair and misunderstands the job the writer/editor is trying to do to explain the story to readers.
The beginning of the story deals with someone known to the world, and presenting to the world, first as a boy called Tommy, then Tom Grabel - a man, for whom the correct profile
then was 'he'.
Now we know, and Tom knew that the pronoun was in fact inaccurate. But the point is that the world, including Tom's wife didn't. So when 'he' came out as 'she' that was totally unexpected.
if the writer had referred to Tommy/Tom Grabel as 'she' right from the start, that would have confused readers and killed the reveal, when the world discovers Laura. All references to Laura Grace are properly gendered she or her.
I really don't think it helps the TS cause if writers, stories and publications that are obviously respectful and well-intentioned get slammed, just because they haven't conformed to an agenda they don't even know exists and which is, in any case, much more debatable than its highly vocal proponents maintain.
As a writer, I think Cosmo did a great job. As a reader, I found the piece really interesting. And as someone who still presents as a man, but defines themself as transgender i wasn't in the slightest bit offended.
FWIW, I think that a person who presents as a man, dresses like a man, talks like a man and uses a man's name can reasonably expect to be called 'he' (I do and I am) ... and when she presents, dresses, talks and names herself as female, why then she has every right to be pissed off if she is not treated, and pronouned like a lady.
