What Say You Now, Suzanne ‘Brazilian Transsexual’ Moore?

January 16, 2013 ·

After all, the Julie Birch Ill Society probably just cheers whenever a transsexual woman gets ‘cut out.’

From Pink News:

It’s being reported that a transwoman has been shot dead in Brazil.

According to the ‘Guerrilla Angel Report’ blog site, it is claimed the victim, named by the site as Cecilia Marahouse, worked as a performer and that the shooting took place near Fortaleza, north-eastern Brazil, on 11 January 2013.

She is described as being a “well known” figure among the area’s LGBT community.

Earlier this week, British journalist Suzanne Moore apologised for suggesting women were expected to look like “Brazilian transsexuals” in an article published first in the New Statesman and then in the Guardian newspaper.

Yes, I largely gave (and still give) Moore a pass on her original comment– even if not the best wording  to use it really wasn’t transphobic; the racial specifier was what I (and many other people) actually had the most problem with initially, and then of course  she dug  herself a Todd Akin-esque hole using Twitter for a shovel.

What say you now, Suzanne?

EDIT: Suzanne answers

[alert type=”info”]Cross-posted from ENDA Blog 2.0[/alert]

MOORE

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  1. One has to wonder why Moore chose the phrase “Brazilian transsexual”? Why not the more common reference to models or beauty contest contestants? Was it for shock value or some other reason with a subliminal message of denigration of transsexaul people? Only Moore knows. Still, she has the right to her opinions and statements. Are we as people so thin skinned that we take offense at every bad/wrong comment?

    1. . Still, she has the right to her opinions and statements. Are we as people so thin skinned that we take offense at every bad/wrong comment?

      Her usage isn’t the issue. Those who what to intentionally miss the point of the criticism are spreading that meme right now. The issue was that when someone pointed out that because Brazil is the trans murder capitol of the word, it might have been a bit insensitive to appeal to that particular stereotype.

      Up until this point, there was no real issue.

      Then Moore went on a day-long anti-trans rant.

      Then Moore’s RadFem friends defending her day-long anti-trans rant by pretending that the issue was saying “Brazilian transsexual” instead of her day-long anti-trans rant. Additionally, they piled on with their own anti-trans rant.

      Then, as more Brazilian trans folk continued to be murdered, Moore threatened to file suit against a media outlet that pointed out that this was what the original critique was all about.

      Her response was the actual issue everyone was up in arms about. Instead of just being an adult about it, they’re adding insult to injury now by pretending that this who thing is a free-speech vs censorship issue or that the issue is that trans folk are too easily offended.

      I’m glad that there are those who value standing up to trans slander each and every time. I want folks involved in mass media to think before they make a stereotyped pun about historically brutalized and currently marginalized communities – trans or otherwise.

      You can’t get through transition without having both a thick skin and a great sense of ironic humor. We have all of that. What we don’t have is respect. You don’t ask a bully to stop; you stop the bully… and that’s what everyone saw happen last week.

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