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Susan Stanton in the Whirlwind of Separatist Controversy

Started by Natasha, January 19, 2008, 01:08:36 PM

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Natasha

Susan Stanton in the Whirlwind of Separatist Controversy

http://trans-cendence.blogspot.com/2008/01/susan-stanton-transitioning-transsexual.html
01/19/2008

Susan has met hundreds of other people like her. She was among the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people lobbying for a law that would make it illegal for others to discriminate against them.But Susan has said all along that she's not like other transgender people.
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Keira


Again the "susan misquoted thing".
I don't believe this ONE SECOND.
If that was the case, why not sue the newspaper!
I know a bunch of journalists (since I'm now in PR) and
they record ALL INTERVIEWS, so I think that pure bull.
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SusanK

It appears Susan Stanton loves the spotlight. She has moved her old Website http://www.susanastanton.com/ - now owned by someone else, to her new Website http://www.sastanton.com/, and has dumped all words about her history and any controversy. Sure looks like her past is that and she trying the normal PR speaker paradigm and path. So, does she make you feel warm and fuzzy as a representative and representing transpeople and transcommunity?
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Sheila

I feel that she is no longer a good representative of the TG community. Also, I do know about mis quotes and taking words out of context to make good journalism. So, I don't believe some of the quotes that the newspaper prints. Oh, yeah, you can sue, but how much money do you have? Is it worth it to be caught all up in the courts only to be told, Yes, you win. You would have paid more for attorneys fees than whatever you would have received in the 'I win' catagory.
Sheila
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Keira


I think that her response was rather weak to the newspaper.
I think she doesn't have a case in the misquoted thing.
I find it hard to put much of the things she said out of context.
Most journalist have much more integrity than their given.
Again, the number of journalists in real newspapers (not tabloids)
who "misquote" is probably less than 1%.

Who would want to talk to you if you regularly misquote? I wouldn't!
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tekla

While I'm sure that most journalists do not misquote, remarks are seldom left in context, and missing the real features of conversation may well come out very different in black and white then they sounded at the time.

I for one never saw her as any sort of rep for our community, we and we alone have the right to dictate that, not CNN.
FIGHT APATHY!, or don't...
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Keira

Tekla, the problem is that the "misquote" thing has become such a go to excuse
that its just not credible. Quoting out of context is the same thing
as misquoting and a real journaslist won't do that. Because, again, you'll
shoot your credibility in the foot. I don't doubt that hack journalists do
this. But, any respected and respectful journalist need sources and
to get sources you can't deform what they said.

The problem is not the journalist, its the people.
Almost nobody knows that they are INCOHERENT when they
speak which may be OK when speaking to friends who
will let things slide. Journalists are not your friends.
If your a dufus and say dumb things,
they won't find this endearing and won't give you a pass.
Journalist will pounce on any problems in
logic in what people say, and believe me, when in front
of interviewers there are PLENTY. I've assisted to quite a
few conferences. There's a reason there are media relations
course and coaches. Believe me, either she knew what she
was saying or said things she wish she didn't say, either way
its what she said.

I'm just so tired of people blaming journalists.
Being a journalist is a low paid, low respect job and most of
the disrespect comes from a complete misunderstanding of
their role and power.

The amount of crap they have to listen
to day and night from spin doctor alone could make anybody sick.

Just a pet peave I think. I'm not a journalist but I do know top
notch freelancers who have published in high level papers
and magazines who are proud of what they write even if they get
lowballed on pay by the media which are more and more
big conglomerates.
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siouxsie

The problem is that Susan just started transitioning last year and she is all of a sudden put in the spotlight.  I absolutely think she should NOT be a spokesperson for the TG community as she is not as experienced in the political issues as others are.  From my own experience, I was faced with a ton of stuff when I first transitioned that was very hard to deal with.  She has to also be overwhelmed with the emotional ramifications of transitioning.  I realize Susan may be a smart gal, but this is too much responsibility to accept at this stage of her transition and as member of the community.  I don't feel comfortable with her in that much of a public role.

Let her reenter the TG activist life after she has sorted out some things for herself.  But as concerned TG citizen of the US, I prefer to have a more qualified person battling Rep. Frank and others.  (I humbly admit I am not qualified either)





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Dennis

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt. Whether misquoted or misstated. She has been thrown into the spotlight prematurely and I don't expect perfection from those who are stuck with the label "spokesperson". She clearly didn't choose it.

Dennis
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tekla

What she never saw a mob guy say "no comment.'  You do not have to let CNN follow you around.  You can decline an interview.  I know people who do it all the time.

Perhaps Canada has a different set of reporters than we have.  Ours write what they are paid to write by the people who own the news, If they do not like that, they blog.  But they don't work.  Trans coverage is nothing in contrast to everything else they misreport, and fail to report here.
FIGHT APATHY!, or don't...
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Annie Social

Just a note regarding the whole issue of "misquoting": I know Lane DeGregory, the writer of the St. Petersburg Times interview. She is an excellent reporter, working for one of the best newspapers in the country (one of the few that is owned by a non-profit foundation, not stockholders). I believe she has a trans child, and has always been fair and accurate in her reporting of trans issues.

While it is certainly possible that her writing was edited out of context by the paper, the idea of a flat-out misquote is simply BS.

Everything she said in the interview is consistent with Stanton's attitude and politics prior to transition; it is no stretch for me to believe that things have changed very little.
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SusanK

Quote from: siouxsie on January 19, 2008, 10:42:56 PM
The problem is that Susan just started transitioning last year and she is all of a sudden put in the spotlight....

I agree with a lot of the responses, she needed then and needs now to get out of the spotlight to finish her transistion, but that's not likely with the CNN documentary in progress through her srs. But I will always disagree she was "put" into the spotlight. Granted she was outed to the media, but what did she expect when she walked into a public city council meeting as Susan? No media? No public record of the event? She told some members beforehand but not all, so what did she expect from them?

And she is getting a year's salary as severance pay (remember it's low six figures) and likely compensation for the documentary (srs?, or else she's wasn't thinking in the negotiations). And we should have sympathy for someone who surely appears to be milking her celebrity status for all its worth? Especially now as an experienced public speaker using her invitations as experience? And she had excellent advice from members of the transcommunity which she has ignored, and we're supposed to be nice?

Judging from her new Website, all she needs now is an agent and a book deal, so she can show the world she's just another normal woman. Any bets after she transistions she becomes outspoken against trans rights? After all wouldn't any good woman protect the world from "those" transpeople (proverbial "men in dresses") who don't act or present as normal people?   ;)
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Kate

Quote from: SusanK on January 20, 2008, 08:27:25 AM
all she needs now is an agent and a book deal...

I'm pretty sure I heard her say somewhere that she already has one...

~Kate~
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SusanK

Quote from: Kate on January 20, 2008, 11:13:07 AM
I'm pretty sure I heard her say somewhere that she already has one...

I hope not, but it wouldn't surprise me. Her Website didn't show an agent representing her, but I'll give her time. I will say however, even after getting advice from Jennifer Boylan, she should look at Jennifer's career and work. While you may disagree with some of Jennifer's views on things (I can't), you would be hard pressed to find a better person, representative and mentor as a transwoman. After all, she kept her career, her job, many of her friends, her family and her life through and after her transistion, and she's published two books, one advertised in the NYT Book Review this Sunday (meaning the book company wants it to sell).  And Jennifer had the coolest response to Oprah about being a transwoman. But alas I have no doubt Susan's experience as a city manager has taught her to be her own woman (something lingering in personality from being a man?) and listening isn't it. And that's the sadness of it, all that help and little to show for it.
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siouxsie

Quote from: SusanK on January 20, 2008, 11:46:58 AM
And Jennifer had the coolest response to Oprah about being a transwoman.

What was that?

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NicholeW.

Quote from: siouxsie on January 20, 2008, 12:23:29 PM
Quote from: SusanK on January 20, 2008, 11:46:58 AM
And Jennifer had the coolest response to Oprah about being a transwoman.

What was that?



Jenny: "What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and had a penis?" Or very close to that as I recall.

Oprah: (long pause) "Well, I think I'd want it to be gone." Or something close to that as I recall.

Posted on: January 20, 2008, 01:37:34 PM
O, btw, Annie is absolutely right about the St. Pete Times, they are very well-respected as maybe the top mid-level daily paper in the business in USA. Their writers often 'feed' NY Times, Wash Post, LA Times, etc...

Their writers do not mistakenly think they are working for Rupert Murdoch. They don't 'set-up' people and I truly doubt their editors do either. I would imagine anyone that tries that has no job that afternoon.

N~
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Annie Social

Quote from: SusanK on January 20, 2008, 08:27:25 AMBut I will always disagree she was "put" into the spotlight. Granted she was outed to the media, but what did she expect when she walked into a public city council meeting as Susan?
A quick correction: she did not "walk into a city council meeting as Susan". She had a long-term plan in place and was in the beginning stages of executing it when someone within her office outed her to the times. She didn't appear publicly as Susan until nearly 2 months after the firing.

There are plenty of grounds for criticizing her, but saying that she asked for the publicity she got is simply wrong.
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tekla

People in public office live public lives, she was not 'outed' as much as her staff was not as loyal as she might have thought they should be - or maybe just knew something we have all come to learn.  But, at any rate, she was not a 'private person.'
FIGHT APATHY!, or don't...
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Dennis

In my own small town, I told people of my plan before I was ready to be outed and, of course, it happened prematurely. It was highly awkward. I'm just glad the media wasn't involved. If she had a plan and it got jump started without her participation, I can see how it would throw her off.

Dennis
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Hazumu

Quote from: Dennis on January 21, 2008, 02:32:15 AM
In my own small town, I told people of my plan before I was ready to be outed and, of course, it happened prematurely. It was highly awkward.
But,  you handled it with aplomb (lookout, evvabuddy!  He's got aplomb!!!)

=k
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