Man robs bank dressed as a woman; Crossdresser steals woman’s credit card to buy clothes; Drunk transvestite arrested on sex charges. All of these are headlines that you can easily find when searching online news sources for content related to crossdressing. I try my best to keep up to date with all things transgendered when I can find the time yet I almost always come across these ridiculous types of stories.
As transgendered people, are we predisposed to committing crimes? Of course not, but this is the type of news that is preferred by the media. Sensational and attention grabbing titles are their bread and butter, so they continue to exploit the image of the perverted and mentally deranged transvestite any chance they get.
This certainly does not help our public image as we strive for mainstream acceptance, but what can we do about it? There are so many positive transgendered people out in this world doing great things, yet the criminals in our midst are always given top billing. Frankly, it disgusts me and that is why I try to highlight any positive news article I come across, like the Bangladesh police or the fun Dear Abby column.
I’m not quite sure of the media’s ultimate goal here. Are they simply trying to attract readers, do they really want to portray us negatively or is it some twisted combination? Whatever it is, I hope that it stops because it only perpetuates prejudice and masks hate for our community.
Can We Change This?
The best advice that I can give you is to please stay on the right side of the law, especially when you are dressed. Avoid the temptation to impersonate your dead mother, steal laundry detergent from your local dollar store, or rob a bank while in drag. If that list seems insensitive, I assure you that it is not. These are simply a sample of the many articles written about us crazy crossdressers.
Beyond following the law, consider becoming a good Samaritan, always on the lookout for people in need. Maybe the next time you doll yourself up, you can help feed the homeless or pick up litter from the highway. Even better, be the first t-girl to save a litter of newborn kitty cats from a burning building while simultaneously planting trees to save the environment. Now that’s a headline that I’d be sure to gush over.
photo credit: my_southborough
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I always wonder what the point of including someone’s gender expression is when it is unrelated to the story. It’s not just when the person is a criminal, either; I just read an article in the NY Post about a cop being accidentally shot while responding to a domestic violence call. The writer felt the need to include that the woman who made the call was transgender–referring to her as “the transsexual” through most of the article–and then disclosing her birth name, adding her chosen name as an “a.k.a.” afterward. Absolutely infuriating.
Anything to sell a story, right? *sigh*
Any person that isn’t a white heterosexual male just has to be identified and marginalized and it sucks.
The media preys on the general public’s fears and ignorance. They believe us to be deranged lunatics and so the news outlets work hard to reinforce that feeling, meanwhile stomping all over our feelings and marches toward equality.
I’m a transsexual police officer from Germany and I once had a case of hostage after a bank robbery.
Finally the bad guy set all the hostages free and they left the bank. When we stormed inside the bank, we couldn’t find him. Later we realized, that he changed clothes with one of the female hostages and left in drag.
Nobody realized him.
Wow, that is one of the most unique stories that I’ve ever heard? Did you ever catch the guy?
Hi Jessica,
Here is a happy story – a Korean transgender supermodel – enjoy!
http://www.allkpop.com/index.php/full_story/choi_han_bit_is_the_first_korean_transgender_supermodel/
Thanks for your hard work on this blog! It’s been wonderful to read and an inspiration as I transition. – Cheers~
Christina Anne
Thanks, Christina Anne!
I really appreciate your comments, they really make blogging worthwhile. Keep in touch sweetie
Jessica
@Jessica: We knew shortly after, who that guy was, but it needed years to catch him. He is a gipsy and he was always on the run.
During that time I was still living as a male, but there was a stich of envy, when I realized that guy’s perfect passing
Well, I’m glad that he was eventually captured. I can understand feeling a little envious that he was able to pass so easily
.