‘Post’ Apologizes For Trans Gaffe
In a shocking show of soul, the NY Post‘s Page Six apologized for its trans-insensitivity.
In an item about There’s Something About Miriam, a Fox reality show about a transsexual woman, the Rupert Murdoch owned paper described the titular character as a “she-male”. GLAAD called them out and editor Richard Johnson originally replied, “You’re kidding me, aren’t you? I would have used ‘chick with a dick’ but we’re as [sic] family newspaper.â€
Apparently Johnson had a change of heart: .
…We erred yesterday in referring to a pre-op transsexual as “a she-male” – a term GLAAD informs us is “a dehumanizing slur.” We apologize to any and all we may have offended.
Next step: vocabulary lesson.
Why is it so wrong for the Post to use the term she-male, but countless porn producers (most of whom are straight) can use the same term ad nauseum without reproach from the GLBT community? Once again, it seems we seem to be just as guilty of hypocrisy as those we fight against.
Actually kama, shemale is becoming passe even within the porn community. The PC term in smut circles is now “T-girl”. Why do I know this? I have friends in the biz, no really.
As far as the Post, I would hope that we would hold a major paper in America’s largest city to a higher standard than people who spend their lives slumming around Chatsworth and Van Nuys snorting rails off silicone enhanced chests.
Isn’t Richards gay? Shouldn’t he know better? And kamasutrajones, arguing with porn producers about anything is a waste of time and energy. Those are people who use human beings and discard them like kleenex, so words mean nothing to them.
you know, if it were a publication not owned by Murdoch, this wouldn’t bug me, but them putting “dehumanizing slur” in quote marks makes me think they’re being a bit insincere with the apology, even if they’re doing it because they’re directly quoting GLAAD’s statement.
slimy.
Richard Johnson’s problem is that he takes himself WAY too seriously. He said in an interview http://www.iwantmedia.com/people/people26.html “Our approach toward gossip is more reporting, instead of just repeating gossip. We actually try to find out if it an item is true.”
RJ, I hope your fingers were crossed when you said that…
Look at the recent piece about Dean Johnson, an item this blog carelessly echoed:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10....._death.htm
Not a fact check in sight. Page 6 could have made a juicy story about Dean’s death AND gotten their facts straight:
-The name of Dean’s party was “Rock and Roll Fag Bar”.
-The venue was the world, not CBGB’s.
-That ‘Saudi sex party’ was ages ago, NOTHING to do with why Dean was in DC when he died.
-That intel did not come from e-mails on Dean’s computer; It came from Henley’s hazy recollections.
-Dean died at age 46, not 45.
5 factual mistakes, all easily dispelled with a little ‘reporting’, in a 100-word item.
The use of the term she-male isn’t really the problem, it’s a symptom of a broader malice at Page 6 when it comes to gay-themed items. GLAAD has always been myopic in their approach. Page 6 won’t waste time on fact checking, because who really cares about accuracy when it comes to the gays? Did anyone bother to check how Miriam describes herself? That’s the gay protocol when it comes to gender identity.
Someone with his share of foibles (bribery, DUI) should show a tad more humanity when covering his fellow beings, gay, straight and transgendered alike.
You know, glass houses and all that…
Psh, since when does being gay mean someone automatically knows better about being an ass to trans people? There are some great LGB trans allies, but they’re by no means the majority.