ABC denies hurting trans people with problematic language
Image: Germaine Greer
THE ABC has defended two incidents which aired on ABC’s Q&A program and published on ABC Online, which have been slammed by trans people for containing language deemed offensive and potentially dangerous.
Published on April 10, the feature article written by Dr Graham Willett – president of the Australian Gay and Lesbian Archives – discussed the country’s history of sexual fluidity which he wrote “when we bother to look, we discover that Australia’s past is chock-full of queerness”.
In the pieces, Willett described same-sex marriage in colonial times, lesbian romances between prisoners and first-wave feminism giving rise to middle-class romances between women.
He also told the stories of three people who identified with a gender different to what they were assigned at birth; Edward De Lacy Evans, Ellen Maguire and Bill Edwards.
In the article he uses the terms ‘cross-dressing’ and the pronouns ‘s/he’, which Melbourne trans student, Isaac Hamann said are problematic.
“The biggest problem I had with it, was the the guy talks about historical trans people as cross dressers and ‘this person did this and surprise it’s a woman,” they said.
“The combination of portraying trans women as a gotcha moment and cross-dressers is what gets trans women killed.
“In that time period if you’re living full time as a man or woman it’s not easy, so you’re not doing it for kicks, you’re doing it for real.”
However, a spokesman for the ABC defended the use of the terms: “the article in question is clearly looking at the history of the gay and transgender community and the use of historical language is as such justified”.
Hamann refutes those claims saying the author should have included a quote to say he was using a historical term and that the terminology would not be appropriate to be used in 2016.
“He is talking about a historical phenomenon of same-sex couples being together, and he uses the contemporary term for same-sex marriage, even though that term didn’t exist then. Why couldn’t he do the same for the trans stories?” they said.
“It’s also a problem because most of the audience is going to be cis-gendered and straight, who won’t be as aware of trans issues and they will be reading this presuming Graham is an authority on trans issues. But cis-gender queer people do not have the authority, they’re not trans.
“Portraying people as cross-dressers, it plays into the kind of societal beliefs that contribute to us, in extreme cases getting killed, but living with poorer mental health and physical outcomes.”
The controversy over Willett’s piece follows comments by writer Germaine Greer about trans issues on Monday’s Q&A program. She was asked by an audience member to clarify her position on trans issues, following transphobic remarks she made during a speech at Cambridge University.
Greer admitted her comments may have been wrong but said a person can’t know if they were born into the wrong sex.
“If you’re a 50-year-old truck driver who’s had four children with a wife and you’ve decided the whole time you’ve been a woman, I think you’re probably wrong,” she said on the show.
The ABC spokesman said its Editorial Policies cover any language or terminology that might be construed as offensive and acknowledges a public broadcaster “should never gratuitously harm or offend and accordingly any content which is likely to harm or offend must have a clear editorial purpose.”
“In both cases, Willet’s article and Q&A, the context was a serious examination and discussion of issues of discrimination and the use of language,” he said.
“If offence was taken by any viewers or readers, we regret that but it was entirely justified in the interests of a full and frank discussion of important issues. There was nothing in either that that could reasonably interpreted as condoning or encouraging prejudice against or stereotyping of transgender people.”
Star Observer contacted Dr Willet for an interview, but he declined to comment.
In a further demonstration of the our way or the highway noveau GLBTIQ +politics I have now been removed from the Melbourne GLBTIQ+ COMMUNITY RESPONSE PAGE for expressing views that differed from the dictates of the oppressed acting in a most oppressive manner . I have been a member of the GLBTIQ + community for most of my 54 years. I have lived and worked surrounded by GLBTIQ pals , have friends in all the alphabetic categories and identify generally as a lesbIan . The nouveau GLBTIQ+ POLITICS are clearly been driven by a small minority, who whilst oppressing others freedom of speech and thought are also engaging in the Who is the most oppressed Olympics ! So much for real diversity and all that WE ARE FAMILY crap ! I fully support the trans community but will not be accused of being transphobic or homophobic simply because I do not agree with the empty vessels making the most noise. Anyone who knows me will know neither claim is true .I do not expect to agree with everyone in any community least of all the colourful and diverse GLBTIQ + community. Sharing of different views is a healthy part of any community moving forward. The silencing of voices that disagree on some issues is the behavior of a dictatorship not a community response . The treatment of Graham Willet and others by the same group is appalling . While I have never experienced homogeny within this community I am totally gobsmacked by the nouveau dictators. Freedom of speech is a basic human right . I am sad to report that it seems the colour has been removed from this section of the rainbow community and it is now only available in black and white . Thankfully, I have many GLBTIQ+ pals who still live in colour and who embrace genuine diversity not dictatorships. I feel honored to have been banned from a group, which is intent on rewriting GLBTIQ + history and has very strange idea’s on diversity . It appears some diversity is far more important than others. As history has shown us, these types of community engagement’s usually end in tears or cannibalism . I’ll be watching with interest while hanging with the truly diverse !
Bravo Julia. We have to change the flag. There’s no rainbow anymore, it’s all black and white.
I think that the article is a bit vaguely described here and I’m not sure whether what it says is denying trans experiences or not. But Greer I know is transphobic. However, she shouldn’t be removed from lectures on anything like she has. If someone is wrong, our response should be debate not to silence her. If she’s just giving an opinion, without any great deal of inflammation and incitement, then just talk to her. It’s to the benefit of all of society to debate and be able to handle disagreement.
With her anti-trans* views, she is welcome within both North Carolina and Mississippi – I will even pay for her one way plane ticket to permanently stay over there and even marry Donald Trump!
Germaine Greer is a total bigoted anti-trans* nutcase, just like both Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull! I am a 30 year old gay man and a thousand more times feminist than she is! Anti-LGBTI laws in Australia in 2016 are holding us back from the rest of the western developed world and it is a total embarrassment! Banning same-sex marriage, forced divorces on Trans* people, lack of birth certificate recognition for Intersex people, weak anti-discrimination laws on gender identity and also before a trans* person can get a new certificate, you have to have sexual reassignment surgery! (In both Ireland and Malta for example trans* people do have a forced divorce or surgery at all and just fill out about 2 pages of paper work – it is that simple and cuts red tape!) I can not believe you have all these anti-LGBTI laws in Australia in 2016!
Germaine Greer must be the stupidest ugliest person in the world. She is an anti LGBTI bigot and should not ever be allowed to come back to Australia! What a total joke she really is! Even Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard all endorse her, why? Because she is an anti LGBTI bigot! I am totally embarrassed to be Australian! In 2016, both the bigots and bogans are in charge of this country and it is truly sickening! This is the very reason why marriage equality is being blocked in Australia – all because every one of the Senators and MPs are trying to get the bigots and bogans who are voters and use three word slogans for dumb and stupid people who vote (e.g. “Stop the boats”)! Very sad really! Every time I am travelling overseas, I say I am from New Zealand and I do not ever get harassed! My brother on the other hand said he is Australian and got harassed non-stop and I warned him!
Greg look up Susan Stryker, Cristan Williams, there’s Transgender people doing some pretty good History work discussing past Transgender experience. So the risk you mention seems pretty unlikely instead of huge.
If Academics have to start recognizing that past people may have been Binary Trans or Non-binary Trans or Intersex and so mention that using the more accurate modern terms instead of calling them archaic and pejorative terms like Eunuchs or Crossdressers that assume what place on the gender/anatomy spectrum they must have been when there’s an absence of evidence for that then that would mean better more accurate and less lazy academic work.. and better work is better work, a gain for academia and society by holding it accountable to some pretty simple basic standards.
I totally agree Greg . I think these types of attacks are uneccessary and totally disrespect the life experiences of our elders ! I have many friends who have been drag performers who have not identified as what is now described as trans . Many live as gay men not trans women.Same for many drag king performers The attacks on Graham Willet are appalling…when did the GLBTIQ+ community become so homogeneous that everyone is expected to think the same, and to exclude any views that fall outside the dictated party lines . It’s ironic that while supporting the safe schools coalition some members of the community are attacking in packs and preventing freedom of speech by our elders and others who do not support the trans cis binary . Freedom of speech and differences in opinion have always been a part of the community and are a human right for all, not just those who are the current rainbow flavour of the month Rewriting history is disrespectful and uneccessary.
There is a huge risk that the almost personal attacks on academics such as Graham Willett will eliminate discussion of past transgender experience – in effect using current discussion to deny the lives and experiences of those from past years. Some of the people who have life experience resonating with them along the lines described by Dr Willett are still alive today and I wonder how harming it will be to hear that their experiences are being revised.