Saturday, July 12, 2008

Demand Apology for Transphobic Boston Herald Article

"The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC)are encouraging people to contact the Boston Herald and ask editors to apologize for the paper’s offensive slurs and sensationalistic coverage of transgender people.

On July 7, the paper posted an article online about a police operation headlined “Undercover ‘john’ takes on trannies, pimps” and focused on a Boston-area detective who goes undercover to arrest sex workers. The article repeatedly referred to transgender women as “trannies” and opened the story by describing how the detective has been “trapped inside houses of ill repute by giant naked trannies.” The article was also published in the July 8 print edition."

Read the article here: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1105340

Please contact the Boston Herald and call on them to issue an apology.

Boston Herald Contacts:

Jessica Van Sack
City Reporter
jvansack@bostonherald.com
(617) 619-6437

Kevin Convey
Editor in Chief
Boston Herald
kconvey@bostonherald.com
(617) 619-6403

Joe Dwinell
City Executive Co-Editor
jdwinell@bostonherald.com
(617) 619-6177

H/T to Queah's Blog for the story.

10 comments:

Nicky said...

Explain, why is it transphobic, if a police detective is doing his job by stopping and busting those violating the law. Last I checked, prostitution is illegal and that you can get arrested for soliciting and promoting prostitution. So what they wrote isn't transphobic, unless you see it on the streets.

Queers United said...

Nick - The language of the article is transphobic. It is not appropriate to use the term "trannies." The word has been reclaimed by the community but it is inappropriate for members of the media to use the word.

Anonymous said...

It is way inappropriate for the media to use the term trannies and in Boston no less. WTF? I live in Kansas City and would be stunned to see our media be so insensitive.

http://blog.comingout101.com

Nicky said...

So, what ever happened to First Amendment rights and Freedom of Speech. I guess that all went out the door when Liberalism and political correctness came about here.

The paper had every right to publish what they want and how it was being reported. if you don't like it tough, this is America and everyone is entitled to their first Amendment rights.

Queers United said...

Nick they have the "right" to publish whatever they want and I defend free speech and freedom of expression. That being said, I have the right to boycott them and encourage people to contact them to let them know we are unhappy with what they are writing. Whether they choose to comply is their business. If they know what is best for business they will be PC.

Nick my feeling is if they wrote something berative and negative about Intersex people you would be up in a frenzy. You seem to be very anti-Trans based on what you write on your blog and what you write on here. I am really concerned about this. I am not trans or intersex but I make a strong effort to unite all sexual and gender minorities and focus on issues that affect us all. I would hope through reading this blog and being a minority yourself you would be more sensitive to LGBT issues.

Nicky said...

They do have the right to publish what ever they want. They have every right to write what ever they want and if people don't like it, they don't have to read it or buy it. being PC is very wrong because what ever happen to individual rights and the 1st Amendment rights. It just seems that everyone here is gone PC over 1st Amendment rights. Last I checked, I don't see political Correctness in the US Constitution or any state constitution.

If they wrote something bad about the Intersex community, yes I'd be up at arms over it. Since it doesn't effect the intersex community, I don't bother to worry about it.

See, I don't consider intersex to be a sexual or gender minorities because Intersex to me is considered a genetic medical condition.

Queers United said...

I put the term "condition" in quotes because you referred to it as a condition. I don't think Intersex should be regarded as a "condition" just because it isn't the norm does not mean it is not normal. It is biological, people are born that way, it is natural and doctors should not seek to engage in genital mutilation. People live happily remaining Intersex with both parts their entire life, but if someone elects surgery they should be able to choose freely as an adult.

Nicky said...

Well at the moment, the transgender do not sit in the biological or genetic area. They sit and occupy in the psychological and psychiatric area. So transgender can't have a biological/genetic origin if they are sitting and occupying a psychiatric/psychological origin.

So at the moment, I can't consider a transgender to have a biological or genetic origin.

planet trans said...

Thank you Queer United. It's awesome that you are a defender of all. It's strange, sometimes. I was feeling so down and you came along and reminded me why I am so proud to be a transgender woman who is queer!
Rock on my friend!!!

Queers United said...

Thank you Kelli and your comment reminds me about why I will continue to fight for us all. We are a community and we gotta fight for one another. I need you, you need me, we are one big happy family =)

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