Kimberley McLeod, GLAAD's Communities of African Descent Media Field Strategist

What's Gender Identity Got to Do With It? GLAAD grades DJ Mister Cee coverage

http://glaadblog.org/2011/04/21/whats-gender-identity-got-to-do-with-it-glaad-grades-dj-mister-cee-coverage/

When Hot 97's DJ Mister Cee was arrested and charged with public lewdness and exposure, many commentators on the Internet and over the airwaves felt they had license to use anti-gay and anti-trans language. Mister Cee, the radio personality who is credited for discovering The Notorious B.I.G., was caught engaging in a sex act with a 20-year-old identified by police as Lawrence Campbell in a parked car in New York City. Soon Campbell's mug shot and Facebook photos were all over the Web. Speculation that Campbell is transgender as well as attacks on Mister Cee's orientation quickly followed.

GLAAD contacted numerous media outlets asking that they remove offensive language and that they clarify that reports that the co-defendant identifies as transgender were unconfirmed. At the time, Campbell had not spoken publicly about the incident. A video recently surfaced online where Campbell self-identifies as a drag queen. It is inaccurate and poor journalism for reporters and bloggers alike to presume the co-defendant's gender identity, especially without noting that reports vary and informing their audiences that they are making assumptions.  Moreover, Campbell's gender identity is irrelevant to the alleged crime.