Author of the article:
Jillian Page • Montreal GazettePublishing date:
Jan 23, 2014 • January 23, 2014 • 2 minute read • Join the conversationPostmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through our links on this page.
Article contentSigh . . . It seems every day there is an article coming out of some African nation that illustrates just how far behind the times its citizens are (i.e. Exhibit A: see preceding post about stoning in Nigeria).
Exhibit B: A report out of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe on the Nehanda Radio site with the following headline: "Gay shemale causes stir in court."
It's what caught my eye on google. I figured some porn star — because the term "shemale" is a porn industry term — had put on a lascivious display in the courtroom. The individual turned out to be a trans woman who was the victim of a citizen's arrest because she had used — or attempted to use — the women's washroom in a hotel.
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Article content
By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! Article content The term "shemale" when applied to transgender people is dehumanizing and derogatory. (For more information on transgender terminology and words to avoid, see GLAAD's Media reference guide.)
As for the trans person causing a stir, as written in the headline by an editor, it was actually the opposite: the locals caused the stir by gaping at her like she had just just dropped in from another planet. (Maybe the editor was having a bad day.)
Apparently, trans women are rare sights in that corner of the world; many officials from various departments crowded into the courthouse just to see her. Like, this was big for them, and perhaps even bigger for local vendors outside the building . . . One man is quoted as saying: "We've always heard that there are gay people, but I didn't think a man can transform himself into a woman like this."
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Article contentThe writer (and editor) of the article is unclear on trans etiquette and misgenders Ricky Nathanson throughout the story.
And so it goes . . . Zimbabwe bursts upon the global village scene thanks to the wonders of the Internet. We'll follow Ricky's case — she returns to court next month to face criminal nuisance charges . . .
But it all makes me wonder: if the writer (and editor) of the article and others in that country use the Internet, how can they be so far behind the times? And when they do click on to the Internet, what are they reading — and viewing — that would make them use terms like "shemale" to describe a simple trans woman who just wants to live her life in peace and use the washroom facilities that match her gender identity and presentation?
Jillian
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