Autumn Sandeen’s latest “expose” over at Pam’s House Blend is about activist and blogger Ashley Love. She states her reason for this post is that:
“However, I can’t help but feel that Ashley Love’s pattern of writing derogatory and defamatory commentary needs to be exposed to the light of day. It seems to me that her views are outlier viewpoints, and she’s too much of a public figure — both in and out of trans community — to ignore what she’s been writing over the past year about transgender identified people.”
First lets define some terms:
- Defamation: the act of defaming; false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another, as by slander or libel; calumny: She sued the magazine for defamation of character.
- Derogatory: tending to lessen the merit or reputation of a person or thing;disparaging; depreciatory: a derogatory remark.
What was Love’s great defamatory statement?
[I]ts times to stop living in a fantasy, and face the facts. Sweeping diversity and individuality under the rug has done nothing for the sex and gender diverse communities, or at least nothing for the transsexual and intersex communities. Perhaps its done a lot for white cross dressing males and white gender queer FTMs, but it has only served white trans masculine people, and thats it. I have more in common with a non-trans woman than I do with a cross dresser or drag queen. Many TS/IS people are fed up of being bullied by PC BS. We are tired of being muzzled by late transitioning white CD and TG male bodied people who run the TG Facista non-profit world and buy their way onto the Gay(lgbt) non profit boards. Did we go through all we went through to be told we are the same thing as men in dresses? We think not.
While I disagree with Love’s statement about “TG male bodied people”, I don’t see it as defamation. I think it’s a difference of opinion. What I don’t get is how this piece helps the transgender community. Regardless of what you think of Ashley’s opinions, her actions in the TOTWK actions really proved she puts her money where her mouth is and she’s out front and center.
I wish that Sandeen would look inside her own blogging platform and write about the sockpuppetry that’s kicked two trans people off of Pam’s House Blend. I wish she’d discuss the GAYinc elite that silence those with opposing views behind the counter of PHB. Maybe look into the employment troubles some bloggers (*cough*) have due to no match letters from the Social Security Administration…. Maybe take a peak at the 990’s of the National Center for Transgender Equality’s funding to see who finances it? Or how about a powerful House Representative that will talk about penises in showers at one time, then be offended when the shower question is asked of gays and lesbians? Unlike Sandeen’s post, these things have real consequences to the future of our movement. But I guess those compelling questions aren’t good coffee klatch material, eh?