The front page is a news web site, and it's purpose is increasing the awareness of not just members of the transgender community, but the general public as well.

There is an epidemic of violence going on against the transgender community in Brazil, 53 murders in just over 30 days. Should we ignore it in the name of a safe space? The answer to that question is no. People need to know this is going on.

I debated the merits before approving the use of the picture on the front page, and the deciding factor is that it makes it more real to the people reading the story. It is no longer a just number, it's real people. The message is  that people are being killed in that country based solely on who they are as a person, and this is not ok.

That is why that picture is there, and why it will remain there.

For those who want to see the story visit: https://www.susans.org/2016/02/03/brasil-fifty-three-transgender-killings-since-the-start-of-2016/

But be warned the photo is quite graphic, but it is equally important to make people aware of this situation.

thank you for letting news be news

I've said it before but let's remember Brazil is the country hosting the Olympics and we can be sure the networks will be talking about what a great country it is. 

I ran this picture past Susan before giving approval for it to be included in the story and we agreed that the image would make what is happening more real. I don't regret allowing publication of the article with the picture included and will not entertain requests to remove it.

we need to know what's out there

Showing violent images for the shock value has diminishing returns. The more people see images of the like, the less they care, and the lower their empathy response to the pain and suffering of others becomes. They are emotional manipulation, and instigate an aggression response. They make you angry, and wish for reprisals. One may think that people should become angry, and seek vengeance, but I think that there are better and healthier ways to approach things than with overpowering emotional responses. They also make people afraid, the constant barrage of murder porn, and violent images just makes us more afraid, and weary of each other. We shouldn't be forced to view graphic images, or smell the corpses so that we can take in how real it is... we should keep an emotional distance from things in order to think and behave rationally, and with thought towards long term solutions, rather than be traumatized and have fear and anger based responses. 

I understand that removing the images is not something you're considering, but, it is my view that their inclusion is deeply misguided.

I must politely disagree, yes if we were hit with a constant bombardment of brutal pictures we'd be no better than a tabloid and would be sensationalizing graphic brutality. This picture as far as I know is the only one of this kind that's been posted in the 2.5 years I've been here. I believe its being done for this particulat instance because of the fact that there is a horrific murder spee going on in Brazil and we need to know about it. You cannot sweep this kind of hideousness under the rug. We are an international web site catering to the transgender population  around the world . The world needs to know what 's going on . This probably the few times this web page will post this I'm  assuming because od the horrendous crime being commited against our community right now in Brazil and we need it to stop. The Olympics are being held is Brazil next and the world needs to understand we are human beings like everyone else ,. we are not throw a ways. Sorry for the rant , I mean no ill will , but I'm so glad we published this in this particular instance because we cannot sugar coat the horrific thing that is going on in Brazil.

This website doesn't exist in a vacuum, graphic images are everywhere. I wouldn't have even had the slightest idea about what it was about if not for this topic, because of course I was immediately repulsed away from more than glancing at photos of murdered people. The use of such images are always for the purposes of emotional manipulation, to illicit fear and aggression -- and as I mentioned, repeated exposure to graphic images (in general, of course, not from just particular sources), decreases the emotional affects, and reduces empathy responses. If the purpose is to make people care more, and draw attention, then such tactics arguable have the opposite effect.

Personally speaking, it definitely drove me away, rather than drew me in.

@Elsa Delyth

I agree with you. For example, research proved that showing disgusting pictures of affected lungs doesn't cause people to quit smoking. They just dissociate themselves from the image and light another cigarette. But when reporting about murder, especially when so many get killed, images like that unfortunately are part of a story that has to be told. Ignoring that aspect diminishes the story.

In my earlier article about two Brazilian transwomen being killed, I looked for the prettiest picture I could find, to celebrate the beauty of that victim. However: 53 dead is a staggering number, an epidemic that has to stop. I wanted to get beyond the abstract statistics. This is not only about a number, but about many women made of flesh and blood who are daily found on the Brazilian streets; nor is it about how beautiful they were.

I'm not a sensationalist and was actually crying while editing this picture. I'd much rather report on Hari Nef representing Gucci, Cait Jenner's new hair style, governments taking affirmative action and churches baptizing transgender people. So I ran it past Wynternight and Susan and we all agreed that this reality has to be showed.

I don't at all mean to suggest that this isn't important, should be ignored, or we shouldn't talk about it or try to do anything or something of that affect. Just that we can do all that without showing photos of the murdered victims. That this diminishes rather than aids the significance, and importance of what's happening. The statistics and context is far more informative, and gives you a far clearer picture of what's happening, and perhaps even ideas of how to rationally, and substantially approach it than does passing around photos of victims, or getting afraid and angry.

Perhaps I can accept blame for this, but I didn't make the topic... but notice how the photos become an issue, and distract a way from what should, and could be being talked about, and suggested in response to such circumstances and events. They's just a terrible, gruesome distraction.

I'm just giving my opinion and perspective.  Not trying to make a big deal about it or anything, just saying.

Gruesome and unpleasant.  But yes, I think the decision to run the photo is correct.  We shouldn't lose sight of how bad things can get.  And we're fooling ourselves if we think the same thing is not happening here.  No, not 53 in a month here in the U.S.  But way too many for us to ignore.  Way too many for us to be complacent.

While it's up, I will look at that photo and I promise I will think about it each time I log in.  I'll try not to ignore it or skip past it.  That woman could be me.  Or it could be someone I love.  Let's not lose sight of what can happen if things go badly wrong.

Your feedback is much appreciated, Elsa. Here's my rationale:

From a journalistic point of view, I need images that tell the story in a split second. When i report on Hari Nef in the fashion world, I show a picture of her on the catwalk. When I report on South African trans women designing couture, I depict them wearing their creations.

So when I posted my earlier article about trans killing on my Facebook page, I got many "likes" from people who just saw a picture of a pretty girl and didn't even read it was about her murder. So I concluded I have to use pictures that summarize the story better than that.

It is very upsetting, but it is a sad reality that cannot go ignored, there are haters who will attack us if given the opportunity

No, we cannot live in fear, but it is very important to be aware of our surroundings and what is going on in various parts of the world as well

I support the decision to run the photo

Quote from: Elsa Delyth on February 04, 2016, 02:08:23 AM
This website doesn't exist in a vacuum, graphic images are everywhere. I wouldn't have even had the slightest idea about what it was about if not for this topic, because of course I was immediately repulsed away from more than glancing at photos of murdered people. The use of such images are always for the purposes of emotional manipulation, to illicit fear and aggression -- and as I mentioned, repeated exposure to graphic images (in general, of course, not from just particular sources), decreases the emotional affects, and reduces empathy responses. If the purpose is to make people care more, and draw attention, then such tactics arguable have the opposite effect.

Personally speaking, it definitely drove me away, rather than drew me in.

That's two of us.

Quote from: Naomi71 on February 04, 2016, 03:03:45 AM
Your feedback is much appreciated, Elsa. Here's my rationale:

From a journalistic point of view, I need images that tell the story in a split second. When i report on Hari Nef in the fashion world, I show a picture of her on the catwalk. When I report on South African trans women designing couture, I depict them wearing their creations.

So when I posted my earlier article about trans killing on my Facebook page, I got many "likes" from people who just saw a picture of a pretty girl and didn't even read it was about her murder. So I concluded I have to use pictures that summarize the story better than that.

I agree with the rationale in this particular case, We in the US have a horrific problem of the same nature, but Brazil's is 10 fold. Conveying that magnitude in my view is proper.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/tesco-stands-up-against-front-pages-it-says-are-unsuitable-for-children-9876763.html

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on February 04, 2016, 06:13:46 AM
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/tesco-stands-up-against-front-pages-it-says-are-unsuitable-for-children-9876763.html

The kids are viewing the detective shows with the mangled bodies shown in them. Brazil is nasty on the transgender people as with some of the African countries we don't hear about. Not much news comes out of central Africa anyway.

Joelene

Somethings can only be said with a picture.

Kudos for finding a picture that tells the story of what happened there.

Quote from: Joelene9 on February 04, 2016, 11:16:39 AM
  The kids are viewing the detective shows with the mangled bodies shown in them. Brazil is nasty on the transgender people as with some of the African countries we don't hear about. Not much news comes out of central Africa anyway.

Joelene

I'm sorry, and I mean no offense, or attack, or anything like that, but feel the need to use what you say here as a spring board.

Associating this with fictional, staged, tv show images shows precisely this kind of desensitization that I'm referring to. I remember a while ago I came into the room to see a couple people I know watching real people being shot in the middle east, to which one said to the other "it's just like a video game"... which I found deeply upsetting.

People see the images, associate them with things they've seen before, and it completely gets in the way of them actually comprehending what they're seeing. The people in the images on tv crime shows, in the video games are not real, no one loved them, they're not stolen from anyone's lives, they're not dehumanized, brutalized, and harmed. The real comprehension of what has transpired is not at all captured in graphic images, but in empathic, cognitive comprehension of them as real, actual human beings, and not by clumping them in with categories that are 99.999% fictional, and dilute and confuse the reality of what has transpired.

I don't suggest that they're traumatizing, and illicit fear and aggression, and we should avoid that because I'm super rational, and immune or something, but because I'm super susceptible, it isn't appropriate, or decent to force me to view such awful things without warning, or consent.

I don't want to continue on about it, so I'll leave it here... 

I have locked this topic. I have explained my reasoning and I stand by it. Without the picture it's a story about numbers, with the picture it's a story about real people. It's sad that some cannot see this.