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Pen Points
Letters to Gay Today |
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Respecting Self-Chosen Identities
The segment also reported on the two other people killed at the farmhouse by John Lotter and Tom Nissen -- facts often omitted or de-emphasized in media coverage of Brandon's death, including the popular movie Boys Don't Cry. While ABC News 20/20 broke new ground with this segment, they too fell prey to the same narrow stereotyping that eventually took the life of Brandon Teena. Like those who ostracized Brandon for expressing his true gender orientation in his everyday life, ABC News 20/20 added insult to injury by identifying Brandon throughout the twenty-minute segment as "she," "her," and "a girl." ABC News 20/20 was unfortunately unable to afford Brandon the respect for his gender orientation and gender expression that he sought in life and certainly should have earned by his death. Viewers were also treated to several gratuitous references to Brandon being a "great kisser" and lover. By comparison, it is difficult to imagine coverage of Mathew Shepard's tragic death in Wyoming including references to his romantic expertise or lack thereof. Finally, the 20/20 piece included several unfortunate statements about Brandon's so-called "true identity" being unmasked or revealed as if the expression of Brandon Teena's true gender orientation was a game or prank -- and not, as it was, a matter self-identity and self-determination. It is ABC's editorial policy to allow minorities to self-identify and define the terms by which they will be covered -- except when gender is at issue. [Is this true about ABC?] It is GenderPAC's position that human beings are not defined by their genitals, and in particular that people whose gender orientation is male do not stand "revealed" when the status of their genitals is made public knowledge against their will. In fact, Brandon's "true identity" was revealed every single morning as he left his house and lived openly and publicly as a man. Each of us has the right to express our gender orientation as we see fit and to have our gender orientation respected by our family, friends, neighbors, the media, the courts, and law enforcement without fear of discrimination and violence. GenderPAC applauds ABC News 20/20 for taking a bold step in covering, and not sensationalizing, Brandon Teena¹s story. And while we are glad that 20/20 essentially stuck to the facts, work still needs to be done to educate the producers of 20/20 about using pronouns that respect a person's gender orientation. Call or write to ABC News and thank them for their accuracy in reporting, but also ask them to exercise sensitivity in their use of pronouns and respect for a person's gender orientation: 20/20: Telephone: (212) 456-2020 or Email: 2020@abc.com GenderPac Stop Dr…Laura's TV Show through Paramount!
When Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott disparaged African- Americans... she got fired.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Paramount pulled a show in 1998 that offended African-Americans ("The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer"), but is fine with Dr. Laura equating homosexuality with incest and pedophilia. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Americans deserve equal respect, not a double standard. We still have time, but we need everyone's help. E-mail Paramount Now and demand Dr. Laura be dropped. Then send this message to ten friends. Paramount's email address: television@pde.paramount.com
Matthew Shepard Billy Jack Gaither Brandon Teena Allen Schindler Barry Winchell In the name of every one of us... PLEASE ACT NOW!
John Aravosis
Not to be fooled by Monkey Business
Name withheld |
Oscar-nominee Hillary Swank plays Brandon Teena/Teena Brandon in Boys Don't Cry, a film about the life and murder of a transsexual in Texas 
What do John Rocker ... 
... Reggie White ... 
... and Dr. Laura have in common? 
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