Irish Transgender people are outraged over RTÉ sitcom "The Centre"

The 'transgender' character, played by a man in a dress, is the brunt of transphobic jokes
written to have the audience laugh at him according to those who have seen the
premiere. RTE inexplicably defends this saying his part is a positive role model.

Panned by numerous critics the new sitcom's "transgender" character Nuala Mooney played by cisgender male actor Gary Cooke has invoked a twitter outrage and the Irish advocacy group Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) up in arms. The show which just aired has already accumulated 24 complaints which in Ireland are not taken lightly.

@kellibusey RTÉ airs new sitcom 'The Centre' which mocks transgender people http://t.co/FeFI63XXsD
— Jani McCauley (@JaniMcCauley) March 25, 2014

From the TENI Webpage:

Among a cast of characters from minority groups, The Centre features Office Assistant Manager Nuala Mooney (played by Gary Cooke) who is described as "a 40 year old pre-op transsexual who's been living as a woman for the past 3 years."

Over the course of the 25 minute show, Nuala's gender identity is referenced and mocked on every occasion she appears on screen.

"The Centre is a throwback to the dark ages of television and RTÉ should do better. Nuala is the stock character of a 'man in a dress' played for cheap laughs. Her appearance and identity are fair game to the other characters on the show and their comments and quips re-enforce every stereotype that exists for trans people in this country," said TENI Chief Executive Broden Giambrone."Not only is she is referred to as 'king kong in a thong' but there are references made to her surgical status, her hormone levels, body hair and adam's apple. At no point is the audience laughing with Nuala, they are laughing at her."

Research shows that trans people have some of the highest rates of attempted suicide in this country with 30% having tried to take their own life at least once. In the same survey, 40% of participants reported that media representation of trans people negatively affected their emotional wellbeing or mental health.

The Centre also targets Travellers, Muslims and a host of other groups that face discrimination in Irish society.

"The Centre masquerades as edgy by poking fun at minority groups. Unfortunately, we see the very real effects of how this type of 'humour' contributes to the marginalisation of the trans community. There is no doubt that negative media representation contributes to pervasive transphobia. This has a direct and detrimental effect on trans people's sense of self-esteem and contributes to their fear of coming out."

The Centre can be seen on RTÉ player: http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/10266262/

TENI encourages people to make complaints directly to RTÉ.

RTÉ is obliged under Section 39 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 to ensure that:

(c) anything which may reasonably be regarded as causing harm or offence, or as likely to promote, or incite to, crime or as tending to undermine the authority of the State, is not broadcast .

Section 3.4.2 of the BCI Code of Programme Standards states that "Programme material shall not support or  condone discrimination against any person or section of the community, in particular on the basis of age, gender, marital status, membership of the Traveller community, family status, sexual orientation, disability, race or religion."

The complaint should be sent to RTÉ's complaints office:

by e-mail to complaints@rte.ie

I am unable to access the link to the offensive episode the web page responding with numerous excuses. Hopefully this show has been removed by RTE voluntarily without the government forcing them to.

This episode was found on RTE's youtube account. Its really awful.

"The ape in a thong"

Memphis radio station 103 FM Facebook Transpanic comic goes viral

Photo posted by a Memphis radio station

Transphobia sells and the purveyors of hate at this Memphis radio station know it.

The Rock 103 Facebook page has only 40,000 likes but as a quarter of a million talking about it. The radio station's web page is a mix of sexy skimpily clad women in seductive poses, rock bands, and like a cherry on top this Facebook image promoting hatred towards transgender people. Transpanic long used as a legal excuse for murder until the trial of Alan Andrade, who used it unsuccessfully in defense of his killing of Angie Zapata.

Post by ROCK 103.

Rebecca Juro, Bil Browning, Gay.com and my Donna Rose moment at the LGBTMedia14 Convening

I'm sitting far left at a table alone after the others who were there left (clicks)

Most all of us older trans folks remember the days of us against them. Them being the "Gay.com". Hardly, a day went past without one of us writing about the evil gay.com on our obscure blogs.
Who were we railing against exactly? Well, that would depend on who you asked, but for me, it was the million-dollar machine fed and led by HRC, amplified by their gay media minions.

However, as time went by and our integration and acceptance progressed, I became less aware of any malevolence from within the gay community.

So was all that hyperbolic screeds and rants by transgender people about a monstrous entity inhabiting and directing the gay agenda, just that, rants?

I'm here to tell you from my recent experiences, those things we said, well there was some truth in them... Reflecting on the recent events at the the 2014 LGBT Media convening I had a revelation. There is a monster living just below the facade that Gay.com shows to the world, and it's as verminous as it was years past.

I was invited to attend the 2014 LGBT Media Convening in DC this year. I was very excited about it posting numerous article about it. However, things went awry, I felt disrespected and said so. Later I was asked to be a guest on a internet talk show and posted hoping we could make something positive come of it.

I asked some friends feedback regarding my LGBTMedia14 debacle, and one true and time tested friend told me this:

"Feedback? Your continued surprise makes me feel like I'm in Bill Murray's "Ground Hog's Day". Why you continually engage with people that have a vested interest in creating a gated off area, or glass ceiling is beyond me. Folks like Bil Browning (5...4...3...2...1) and Mike Rogers create one so they can feel better about themselves, exclude other people, and provide cookies to the good boys and girls that mind their manners and play their reindeer games.

Feedback? Either accept you need the acceptance or you need them for some sort of advancement of these people. That with that need from them, you must accept that you have to grovel for the faintest ounce of respect, or wake up.

Why you need the likes of Mara Keisling or Matt Foreman to panel you on ANYTHING related to good journalism, is beyond me.

Feedback? It's Ground Hog's Day again!"

After I was on the Rebecca Juro show talking abouth the LGBTMeda14 Convening the following facebook conversation took place. Clicking the comment part of the facebook link will let you see how Bil Browning deals with those who write articles critical of his media convening.

Post by Kelli Anne Busey.

Juro's radio show, carefully crafted to take apart my observations and assert Gay.com innocence fell apart early on. Juro offered that she knew only a couple of the panel moderators personally but that she was absolutely sure that they couldn't be transphobic through insight gleaned through emails prior to the convening.

OK possibly none of the Moderators are transphobic. I never said any of them were. Possibly, it was a personality conflict. Maybe they just don't like me.

I know what I saw so there must be a reason for the moderators ignoring me.

Then there's the last possibility.

Perhaps someone before of during the convening, maybe those who were in control it, let the moderators know not to call on me. That's very possible. I am a wild card radical.

And Rebecca Juro, I was meaning to ask you something. You approached Mara Keisling, Bil Browning and myself in the lobby of the hotel after the convening. You know as Bil walked backwards and stood 3 feet away near the door? You were very excited saying Bil had asked you to do something.

I think that favor didn't go as planned, but Bil got what he wanted a couple of days ago repeatedly using misogyny on my facebook wall in comments about the interview. Yeah I unfriended him as he knew I would.

That whole thing was really painful. I'm thanking god it didn't happen a few years ago while I was fighting intense hatred in the workplace. I wouldn't have been able to deal with it back then.

But today I can I will say for me anyways, there will be no more groundhog days.

Rebecca Juro

Everyone, even fans are appalled with Rupaul's 'shemale' contest. Everyone, except GLAAD that is.

Rupaul, the clown in pancake makeup has figured out a way to be even more obnoxious.Perhaps he feels that he should fill the vacuum left by the passing of Fred Philps? Maybe, but hardly anyone is enjoying his last promotional transphobic stunt, save TERFs, who are undoubtedly laughing up their sleeves right alongside other bigots, if they have heard of him that is.
Rupaul stepped over the line.

Rafi D'Angelo from Slate said "This week’s mini-challenge left a particularly bad taste in my mouth, and now that I’ve slept on the episode, I’m just going to say it: Ru, girl, it's time for the transphobia to sashay away."

Another fan Gregory Rosebrugh wrote on Indie wire it's never too late to Rupologize for his transphobia before doing his weekly recap of the show.

Smriti Sinha observes on PolicyMic that "RuPaul Is Finally Being Taken to Task for Transphobia as Backlash Grows"

Given the cultural legacy of the terms "tranny" and "shemale," it would seem neither should have any place in a show ostensibly celebrating drag culture. At best they would seem to be in bad taste, but at worst joking about "shemales" may encourage damaging stereotypes about the trans community and signal that it's fun and acceptable to call out women for "masculine" looks.
The trans community deserves better, RuPaul.

Parker Marie Molloy, noted transgender journalist with the Advocate wrote about how "RuPaul Stokes Anger With Use of Transphobic Slur" and wondered what GLAAD had to say about it, given they pimp Drag Race weekly in 'what to watch'.

"When asked for comment on last night's episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, GLAAD vice president of communications Rich Ferraro responded, "While some drag queens may use the term to refer to themselves, 'she-male' is too often used by others as an offensive term to denigrate and hypersexualize transgender women. Unfortunately, most Americans are still unaware that there is a difference between gay men who perform in drag and transgender women. That's why GLAAD will continue to tell the stories of trans women like CeCe McDonald, Carmen Carrera, and CrossFit athlete Chloie Jonsson."

GLAAD's list of transphobic utterances which begins with less offensive "problematic" terms and progresses to "Defamatory"

Defamatory: "she-male," "he-she," "it," "trannie," "tranny," "shim," "gender-bender"
These words only serve to dehumanize transgender people and should not be used.

Ferraro, where does your definition say "except Rupaul"?  You sure did take Mike and Molly to task offering no quarter telling CBS:

Not only is the term “shemale” incredibly offensive, the clear implication of the scene is that being with a person who is trans is both traumatic and disgusting. Humor at the direct expense of a group of people, especially one so targeted for discrimination and violence, is not humor at all. 

GLAAD has reached out to CBS, a network that has struggled to depict LGBT people fairly and that often uses trans people as the punchline for “jokes”:
This morning, GLAAD spoke with CBS’s Vice President of Diversity and Communications who is discussing the issues directly with the show. CBS has also committed to meeting with GLAAD staff to discuss the offensive scene, as well as a number of other incidents on CBS comedies and dramas in the past year that increasingly add up to a disturbing trend. 

GLAAD is calling on CBS to put an end to anti-trans content for the sake of a laugh and to treat trans issues with greater sensitivity.

Ferraro, this isn't the first time I've called you out for you're organizations duplicity or GLAAD's money whoring or you're latest as you swept transgender people under the red carpet to PIMP Dallas Buyers Club.

GLAAD to honor Kim Cattrall sin star for "Filthy Transsexual Whore"

WE get it you have individuals to parade out as you're very own anti transphobic champions, with but that has NOTHING to do with Rupaul. It does not matter who says "shemale" to defame, cisgender or trans, its all the same. You don't see that? Everyone else does. Don't you see how you have not only lost the respect of the trans community but are/have become a laughing stock?  Borrowing Mr Rosebrugh's headline for a second I'd just like to say:

GlAAD its never to late to Transpologize.

Get More: RuPaul's Drag Race Full Episodes, RuPaul, Logo TV

OKlahoma county judge overruled, Transgender woman allowed name change

KFOR Oklahoma City reports that "today an Oklahoma transgender female was granted the name change she had been previously denied.
According to reports, the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals reversed Oklahoma County Judge Bill Grave’s refusal to grant a name change to a transgender individual."

A little history and a painful reminder of how prejudice can be masked with religious beliefs to twist the law and deny others their constitutional rights. From 2012, a report by the OK News Network "Oklahoma judge refuses to let men planning sex-change operations have feminine names."

District Judge Bill Graves had denied her name change stating

“To grant a name change in this case would be to assist that which is fraudulent,” Graves wrote. “It is notable that Genesis 1:27-28 states: ‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth ...' The DNA code shows God meant for them to stay male and female.”

Fred Phelps founder of the Westboro Baptist Church has died

Fred Phelps has died. CNN is reporting that the founder of the Westboro Baptist church passed away today Thursday the 20th of March 2014 from natural causes.

While many calling for a picket at Phelps funeral Stephanie Mott, executive director of the Kansas Transgender Project doesn't agree telling CNN "hate doesn't drive out hate. Thats what Martin Luther King said. It takes love to drive out hate."

Indeed it does.