MAGNET Boycotts RuPaul's Ongoing Bullying & Misgendering of Transsexual Women; 'Drag Race' October 29th Episode Mocks Transsexualism; (memo: Gay Men Don't Get Free Pass On Transphobia, Hypocrisy & Sexism)

Last night, October 29^th 2012, on RuPaul’s All Star’s Drag Race, gay male entertainer RuPaul once again used his show as a bully pulpit to mock and misrepresent what the medical condition transsexualism actually is, despite the last few years of transsexual and transgender advocates protesting his use of offensive pejoratives such as “tra**y” and “she-male” .

Comedienne Vicki Lawrence asked, “Hey Ru, what’s the difference between a drag queen and a transsexual?” 

RuPaul laughingly replies, “About twenty-five thousand dollars and a good surgeon.”

RuPaul should realize there’s nothing funny about misinforming millions of people about an oppressed community in urgent need of public understanding, acceptance and lifesaving resources. Transsexualism is actually a legitimate medical condition recognized by the American Medical Association where a woman or man is born in the wrong body and undergoes medical treatment to better align their anatomy with their mind and true gender, whereas a drag queen is a gay male dressing up as a woman for entertainment and/or professional purposes.

Ashley Love, an organizer with Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET), is not surprised, “RuPaul’s unapologetic transsexual-phobia reaches millions who feel if gay men can attack women born with transsexualism, then they can too, which further marginalizes and endangers our well-being and healthcare needs. Many gay male celebrities are very big on calling themselves “anti-bullying” advocates, yet very light on understanding that misgendering women born with transsexualism by making dehumanizing ‘trans-face’ comments equates to bullying as well. Will the ongoing hypocrisy, sexism, transphobia and bullying by RuPaul and other gay male public figures ever stop? ”

RuPaul’s unchecked mistreatment and public humiliation of women who happen to be born different must be addressed as his comments mislead society to think it’s acceptable to bully little girls, teens and women born with transsexualiusm. MAGNET calls on the mainstream and LGBT media, human rights non-profits and community members to not give gay men a free pass on bullying transsexual and transgender people. Until RuPaul and his show’s production company, World of Wonder Productions, take responsibility for their ongoing public assaults on the dignity, accurate narratives and well-being of women of transsexual medical history, we ask all allies to join our boycott against RuPaul’s misgendering and bullying of our community.   

TAKE ACTION In 3 Steps:

1: BOYCOTT RuPaul’s Drag Race:

- Urge your friends and family to stop watching this show

- Post MAGNET’s boycott announcment in your social networking sites and email to ally groups:
http://themagnetsource.blogspot.com/2012/10/magnet-boycotts-rupauls-ongoing.html

2: JOIN COVERSATION:

-  Join Facebook Group: ‘Boycott RuPaul’s Bullying, Transsexual-phobia & Misgendering’ :
LINK: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/427114894015880/?fref=ts

Let’s talk about it, together! United we can end the misgendering and bullying that harms transsexual and trandgender people!

3: WRITE & CALL RuPaul & His Production Company, World of Wonder Productions:

-          EMAIL World of Wonder Productions CEOs Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey: 
        Barbato:  rbarbato@worldofwonder.net   Bailey: fbailey@worldofwonder.net  

-          ADDRESS (World of Wonder): 6650 Hollywood Blvd # 400. Hollywood, CA, 90028.

      -          TELEPHONE (World of Wonder): 323-603-6300

 For more information/press inquiries:

Contact MAGNET: MAGNET.Advocacy@gmail.com

Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET) is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual, transgender & intersex issues, as well as pushing for more authentic and positive portrayals of transsexual, transgender & intersex people in the media.

MAGNET Boycotts GLAAD’s & American Apparel’s 'Transsexual Erasure' & Misgendering Campaign

Boycott GLAAD’s & American Apparel’s Non-Affirming and Misgendering Campaign



GLAAD and American Apparel are partnering on a ‘Pride Month’ campaign with Isis King (Tyra Bank's America's Next Top Model’s first contestant born with transsexualism) modeling T-shirts that read “Legalize Gay”; however, Isis is a heterosexual woman, not a “gay” man. Gender identity or a transsexual medical condition is not the same thing as sexual orientation. The word “gay” is not interchangeable with the word transsexual. The advertisements, perhaps unintentionally, send misleading and nonaffirming messaging about transsexual and transgender realities. All we ask for is accuracy, which includes reforming GLAAD’s media guide section on transsexual related representation.

TAKE ACTION in 3 steps:

1) BOYCOTT-- MAGNET and other transsexual, transgender, intersex, feminist and ally groups are boycotting GLAAD’s and American Apparel’s pride month t-shirts due to their problematic messaging. We call our campaign: 'Transsexual' Will Not Be Censored

2) REPRESENT-- We ask those who support our educational campaign against misrepresentation to go online to purhcase  environmentally safe t-shirts (or design and create your own) which read one of three slogans:

• Legalize Transsexualism 
• We Will Not Be Erased
• 'Transsexual' Will Not Be Censored

3) JOIN CAMPAIGN-- You're Invited to Join Our Online Discussion / Get Updated Info:

'Transsexual' Will Not Be Censored Facebook Group page:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/242017769243699

Ashley Love, a MAGNET organizer, explains, “GLAAD fights the good fight for us many times, yet this time they’ve irresponsibly made a decision that appeared to not consider the confusing messaging that the ad could send to the public. They inadvertently went against their mission statement by validating the transphobic misconception that Isis and other women like her are “gay” males, instead of who they really are - women, period. The constant misgendering of women of transsexual experience by GLAAD and other ‘LGBT’ groups derails accurate education on transsexualism and must stop.”

Professor Joelle Ruby, PHD. of New Hampshire University, a transsexual advocate, was recently on two panels about feminism in the transsexual and transgender communities during the Philadelphia Trans* Health Conference and made a public statement on Facebook about this story:

“[GLAAD] hire TRANSSEXUAL model Isis King to model…t-shirts that say "Legalize Gay" and "Gay is OK". They erase King's transsexualism (AND TRANS RIGHTS in general) to forward their gay-centric agenda. And then they wonder why we critique Gay, Inc.???"

Chanel Jessica Lopez, transsexual and transgender communities based counselor at New York City’s Anti-Violence Project, personally objects to GLAAD’s and American Apparel’s campaign and stands with the boycott:

“As my past and present experience working with the community has taught me, those of us who are straight don't like to be considered anything other than a heterosexual woman. Just as damaging as physical violence could be mental violence, like erasing one’s accurate identity, such as misgendering, causing psychological abuse. I support equality for all; however, Isis should respectfully be recognized as a woman, not a commodity to be co-opted for a gay and lesbian only demographic.”

Messaging and images that promote (whether intentional or not) ideas of segregation and sex discrimination are serious matters which must be addressed. GLAAD's messaging in their advertisements feed invalidating and inaccurate misperceptions. We hope our campaign will foster affirming and forward messaging.

For media inquiries or information:

Contact Ashley Love, MAGNET Communications Organizer, Email: Magnet.Advocacy@gmail.com

Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET) is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual, transgender and intersex issues.
MAGNET’s website: http://www.themagnetsource.blogspot.com/  

MAGNET Panel about Misrepresentation and Exploitation of Transsexual Women Inspires Healthy Community Discussion.

Post Event Release

MAGNET’s positive panel discussion ‘Women Demanding Change Now’ has successful outcome.

‘Women Demanding Change Now: The Dehumanization of Transsexual Women through the Gay Male Hollywood Lens’ was a controversial, yet healthy and much needed discussion concerning the stigmatizing portrayals of transsexual women in the media, particularly those produced by Gay Male Hollywood.

An extremely diverse group of LGBTQI and allies spoke on the panel such as teachers, activists, film/TV producers, journalists, writers and actors.

Though the topics were confrontational, we needed to be honest about the realities affecting the most vulnerable portion of the LGBT community.

The reality is that there are very few opportunities for trans roles in Hollywood, so when gay men get into positions of power to make those few times count, it is extremely disappointing, stigmatizing and hierarchy creating when they put images of “trans face” into the public eye, therefore dehumanizing and marginalizing transsexual women in mainstream society.

Some of the footage from the event will be in Ashley Love’s upcoming documentary concerning media reform for transsexual women.

A outline of what was discussed at the event will be available next week.

The reason MAGNET elected to specifically target the negative images created by gay men is since transsexual women are listed under the LGBT umbrella, then it is even more damaging when the most privileged part of the LGBT community (affluent gay men) gives mainstream society ‘permission’ to oppress us. Transsexual women are not ‘property’ of the privileged white gay (or straight) men who continue to makes millions off exploiting them in the media. They do not have the right to make a minstrel show out of of transsexual women's lives. Gay Male Hollywood's "trans face" images are causing harm at a time when trans women are trying to gain acceptance and civil rights.

Thank you to all supported the trans community’s protest against defamation, misrepresentation and exploitation

Ashley Love's Huffington Post Critique of "Ticked Off" Film

Read MAGNET Organizer's Ashley Love's critique of transphobic film "Ticked Off With Knives" published on The Huffington Post:

Ashley Love
Trans Advocate and writer
Posted: April 23, 2010 03:54 PM
BIO Become a Fan
Comments 10
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-love/an-image-id-rather-forget_b_549995.html

An Image I'd Rather Forget: A Critique of Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives

The film Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives (TOTWK), spreads fear, misogyny, and hateful ideology. I have seen the film and it's very upsetting that people unfamiliar with transsexual and transgender women will walk away from the film with a stigmatizing perception of trans women. This film is dangerous propaganda, whether intentional or not. TOTWK leaves the viewer with the false impression that transsexual and transgender women are unauthentic in their gender identity and really "gay men in drag." The film portrays all trans women as hyper sexualized, jokes, murderous and/or unstable. This is not only inaccurate; it's offensive and incites further misunderstanding and violence.

A student of oppression in the media, I'm an organizer with a trans anti-defamation group named MAGNET-Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Trans People. MAGNET supports the thousands of people who signed GLAAD's petition urging Tribeca to remove this film or who joined the Boycott TOTWK Group. They're warranted in their protest/boycott of this film whether or not they saw the entire movie. The clips available to the public were reason enough to take action. Here's why:

• Use of the dehumanizing pejorative and anti-trans slur "tra**ie" in the title.• Insensitively mentioning real trans victim's of hate crimes names in the trailer (A reedited trailer removes the victim's names).• Exploiting, devaluing and making light of the crisis of violence against trans women.• Director Israel Luna's misrepresentation that the film's about "transgender women" but often insinuates that the characters are not women - but rather men drag performers, "caricatures" & "impersonators."

While we have great respect and admiration for some of the actors in the film, we have great concerns with the director misappropriating oppressed minorities for entertainment, and with Tribeca's irresponsible decision to showcase this film. GLAAD's analysis of the film maintained the following:

Because of its positioning as a transgender film, viewers unfamiliar with the
lives of transgender women will likely leave this film with the impression that
transgender women are ridiculous caricatures of 'real women.' It demeans actual
transgender women who struggle for acceptance and respect in their day-to-day
lives and to be valued for their contributions to our society.

Many stand with GLAAD's statement. Trans women are just that: women. They're fighting to pass ENDA, gain APA/GID reform and health care rights, and establish acceptance in society. TOTWK threatens that acceptance immensely. The unhealthy stigma that this film encourages generates misunderstanding and resistance against trans Americans in a country that seriously lacks education, rights and acceptance of trans people.

Tribeca would never present a film with a title having the "n" word, an anti-Semitic slur, the misogynistic "c" word, or many other pejoratives. Tribeca considers the content of films they give a platform to. It's disappointing that the humanity and safety of trans women was devalued by Tribeca's programming department. It's a sad sign of the times that our concerns about depiction and well being are not considered on par with other minorities. Trans people need the same anti-defamation protections other oppressed minorities receive from Tribeca. We are exercising our freedom of speech by boycotting this film. "Cries of censorship" are just a diversion to take attention off the true issues, which are responsibility, accountability, humanity and oppression.

I find it biased and unethical that many male journalists/bloggers have failed to address the feminist side of this debate. The violence, objectification and dehumanization of women in this film are also being protested. It's disappointing that this film's controversy has spotlighted the issues of ignorance, transphobia and misogyny internalized within some in the gay men's community who have opposed our protest, as well as society at large.

Characters in the film, performers in a drag queen show, explain: "We have female qualities and characteristics... [and] straight male personalities." This description isn't the definition of a transgender woman, and provokes prejudice. That idea is one of the roots of anti-trans sentiment: the falsehood that trans women's gender identity is "fake". This propaganda is the same that the religious right has been preaching in their campaign to slander trans Americans, denying them equal rights (for instance, their "Do you want men in dresses teaching your children?" campaign), and now this film is doing their job for them! This isn't a "women's clothes fetish movement" for crying out loud! It's about "internal" gender. Luna would have had fewer problems if he would have named his film "Ticked Off Drag Queens With Knives" (yet there would still be issues). Inaccurately, he decided to market the film saying it was about transgender "women," yet portrayed them as over-the-top "impersonators" - actually mocking femininity. It stands to reason that transsexual and transgender feminists feel slighted, their identities misrepresented and attacked.

Merriam Webster defines a drag queen as "a male homosexual who dresses as a woman especially for comic or theatrical effect." On the contrary, a woman of transsexual experience is "a woman in which the sex-related structures of the brain that define gender identity are exactly opposite the physical sex organs of the body. Put even more simply, a transsexual woman has a mind that is literally, physically, trapped in a body of the opposite sex." A person from the "transgender umbrella" is "someone whose personal idea of gender does not correlate with his or her assigned gender role." The sociopolitical identity umbrella term "transgender" is good for gaining legislation to protect the broad community, yet the diversity of sub groups (who are equal, but different) within the broad community cannot be ignored. Certainly diversity is the spice of life!

Much of the dialog in the film is not only offensive, but effectively teaches the viewer an inaccurate perception of transgender individuals. At one point the performers allege that when God created Adam and Eve, he allegedly "created a third creature named Ava." Most trans women I know identify as "Eve's daughter," or with the "woman gender," not a "3rd gender," or as Luna writes, "a 3rd creature." Depicting trans women as "others," "neither, ors," "creatures" and "impersonators" is influential in adding to the segregation and misrepresentation of trans women. While some people identify as "gender queer and 3rd gender," none would wish to be characterized as a non-human creature. The film even introduces a new term - "tran-imal" (trans person = animal = not human) which may be the newest trend slur of the season!

One of the characters expresses that sexual assault "turns her on." This is sickly morbid and disturbingly insensitive, especially given the high rate of sexual attacks and violence against trans women. In another scene a nurse is sexually inappropriate with another character who is recuperating in the hospital after surviving a hate crime attack. In this way Luna's script trivializes the crisis of violence against trans women which is horrifying and disempowering to all women.

Some of the drag queen characters have a "trans face" act that is comparable to "black face" of decades past, when white men painted their faces and depicted black people as minstrels and subhuman. Likewise, "trans face" is just as dehumanizing to actual trans WOMEN. Their "trans face" act is "hyper sexualized, vile talking, flamboyant, gay man with women's clothes on. "By the end of the film, most of the characters are dead or brutalized. The film ends with a "drag diva" asking the others, "Do you know what the difference is between us and them [the dead men on the ground]?" The answer expressed: "I don't know. me either" And the film ends.

So there you have it folks, "transgender women" are no different than "murdered men."

And that last sentence pretty much sums up the message of the film.

"An Image I'd Rather Forget"- Ashley Love's Critique & Synopsis of TOTWK

Note: If you'd like to read my more detailed/longer synopsis of the film, email me at magnet_right_now@yahoo.com

The film “Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives” spreads a fear, misogyny and hate stemmed ideology. I have seen the film and it’s very upsetting that people unfamiliar with transsexual and transgender women will walk away from the film with a stigmatizing perception of trans women. This film is dangerous propaganda, whether intentional or not. TOTWK leaves the viewer with the false impression that transsexual and transgender women are unauthentic in their gender identity and really “gay men in drag.” The film portrays all trans women as hypersexualized, jokes, murderous and/or unstable. This is not only inaccurate, it's offensive and incites further misunderstanding and violence.