Problematic WAPO Wanda Alston House Story

Had a friend point me to a link to a Washington Post story about the Wanda Alston House, a transitional Northeast DC residence for homeless TBLG youth.

While the story about the home was mostly well done, there was a problematic photo posted of one of residents of the center, Sarah Feliciano. 

While reviewing the commentary for it I discovered another problematic point.   If she tells you Sarah is her legal name, it wasn't necessary to reveal what her old male name while doing this piece in the first place. .

Then it's followed up by showing a picture of Sarah shaving?

Okay, we already know Sarah's in the early stages of her transition and until the hormones start morphing her body and she gets electrolysis done, she'll be dealing with that until it's gone.      

But there were other pictures that could have been chosen for that instead of the shaving photo.

WYFF-TV, Read Your AP Stylebook

Here we go again with more AP Stylebook failure filled 'reporting' on transpeople.   

Before I get started, let's review what the AP Stylebook says about how you write reports about transpeople. 

transgender-Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.   

If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.

The picture gracing this post is of 22 year old Toni Silva of Greenville, SC.   She was reported missing and feared kidnapped after disappearing from the parking lot of a local nightclub

Here's how WYFF-TV reported the story,  and here's the way it should have been written according to the AP Stylebook

GCSO: Transgender Woman Found Safe

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. -- The Greenville County Sheriff's Office said the transgender victim who was possibly kidnapped has been found safe.

Deputies were looking for Toni Silva, a 22-year-old Hispanic transgender female.  Investigators thought Silva may have been kidnapped at about 4:20 a.m. Friday in the parking lot of Mexicali, located at 1302 Cedar Lane Road in Greenville.

Deputies said Silva was found in the Poe Mill area Friday afternoon.Deputies said they determined that Silva was not the victim of a kidnapping, and that she left the club willingly with the subjects who were being sought as her possible abductors.

Now, was that so hard WYFF-TV?    Then why is it so difficult for you so called professional journalists to do it?

Black Transwoman Killed In Arkansas-Disrespected By Media

A long, tired pattern has once again reared its ugly head.. Black transwoman gets murdered.  Media misgenders Black transperson and we have to raise hell as media outlets drag feet on correcting the story.

Before I get started ranting about the latest example of media peeps misgendering transpeople, let's review on this blog for the umpteenth time what he AP Stylebook has to say about covering trans people.

transgender-Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.   

If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.

This time it's a Memphis, TN station and several others covering the murder and dragging of M Tye in Forrest City, AR.


Since the indications from people they interviewed who knew the victim was that Ms Tye lived 24/7/365 as female, that would be one major clue you are dealing with a transperson, would it not?

If we mere bloggers can read the AP Stylebook and ask more detailed questions when we get clued in that this person may be trans, what's the excuse for professional media outlets?

.

Indianapolis Media Didn't Learn Jack-They're Still Misgendering AA Transpeople

Seems like during the holidays last year I was calling out the Indianapolis media and a Black reporter for the disrespectful way they covered the murder of Taysia Elzy and her boyfriend.


Thanks to my H-town homegirl and Indianapolis native Diamond Stylz, I've been alerted to another instance of media people disregarding the AP Stylebook.    And since they've already had this happen last year with another area  transperson, the Indianapolis media peeps don't have the 'we didn't know' excuse to fall back on..
   
Let's review once again what the AP Stylebook has to say about covering transgender people in media stories.  If you're tired of me repeating it,  I'm just as fracking tired of spelling it out to you professional media peeps as well.

transgender-Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.

If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.

Once again, an Indianapolis news station gets it wrong with a transperson, and big surprise, the transperson disrespected was a African descended one.   

Back on December 26 a little after 10 PM EST 23 year old Angel Johnson was shot four times in the face, chest and leg after someone kicked in her chained apartment door.   The home invasion incident has its genesis in an altercation she had with denizens of her apartment complex over her trans status. .  


Fortunately she survived and is thankfully recovering from her injuries.

The waste of DNA who did it according to Diamond is now in police custody.


But once again an Indianapolis media outlet, this time it was WXIN-TV Fox 59 and reporters Vanessa McClure and Jenny Anchondo who failed to read their AP Stylebook.   

WISH-TV didn't do much better either, and peep the jacked up transphobic comments in the thread below the stories. . 

Once again, I ask the question.  Angel has been living as a female for 12 years.  If we mere bloggers understand the concept of using the pronouns and name germane to the way the person being written about lives their life and the gender role they currently present,  what's y'all problem? 

Or are you media peeps that clueless or simply  hellbent on disrespecting transpeople?

Somehow I doubt that it's the former of the two.