Legal action taken against “tranny bingo” events in Sydney and Canberra
Image: Photo: Facebook / Penny Tration.
Ten pubs in Sydney and Canberra have received letters demanding they stop using the term ‘tranny bingo’ for their events.
Sydney law firm Allens sent the letters on behalf of trans advocate Katherine Wolfgramme, the Herald Sun has reported.
Other similar bingo nights around the country have changed their names in acknowledgement that ‘tranny’ is generally considered a transphobic slur.
The letter sent to one pub, the Pendle Hill Hotel, read, “We are writing to inform you that the use of the term ‘tranny’ in the description of the event, and the subsequent use of that term in related advertising both in and around Pendle Inn Hotel and online, is highly offensive and distressing to our client.
“Our client is not requesting that the event cease. Rather, her request is simply that you change the description of the event and associated advertising.”
Pendle Hill Inn has stopped running ‘tranny bingo’, while none of the other pubs who received a letter have taken action.
Daniel Floyd, also known as drag queen and ‘tranny bingo’ host Penny Tration, defended the event name.
“We knew the word was a little bit taboo and a little bit naughty but it was almost re-claiming the word,” Floyd said.
“A lot of HR policies in corporations believe the word ‘tranny’ would be classed in line with the words ‘poofter’, ‘faggot’ [and] ‘homo’ when used in a negative way.
“But we use the word tranny with love and inclusivity. We feel we can still use the word and we will if we want to.”
Floyd plans to change the name of the event to GenderBender Bingo but says the decision was made months ago.
The legal letter says that if the event marketing is not changed as requested by December 22, further action will be taken via the Australian Human Rights Commission.
isnt it funny that trans voices are missing from this article. Oh yeah thats right our trans voices are the voices of LGBTI descent. Thanks SSO for delivering us yet again another trans article minus the trans voice. Here we are again Cisplaining the situation. Golf clap. Danial needs to stop belly aching and knuckle dragging on this. The rest of the community need to get behind trans people. So far not a good look.
“You cannot talk about issues if you’re not a member of the group that’s the focus of the article or don’t have quotes from that gorup”
What a world! In such a future, nobody would be allowed to say anything. “Cisplaining” – another useless buzzword used by bigots.
These are straight venues who prefer to use the word “Tranny” in their advertising over “Drag Queen”, which is what the same performers are called in Gay venues. Drag Queen is a more accurate description for the performers. It seems “Tranny” has more interest for straight audiences perhaps not well acquainted with Drag Queen performances. Perhaps “Drag Queen” is too closely associated with the gay community?
As a gay person I do not know as much about being transgender as a transgender person and wouldn’t seek to represent them. Neither should gay men doing drag queen performances. I do not have experiences of the hurt inflicted by transphobic comments. Transgender people do.
The issue of Drag Queens calling themselves Trannys has arisen before. Would they still get the work in straight venues if they called themselves Drag Queens?
As for Norrie……being prominent does not make her necessarily representative. Where you know you aren’t representative of a lot of transgender people, as this is the case clearly over the use of the term “Tranny” from the ongoing issue other trans people have with it, perhaps you should acknowledge that when you speak your piece. It would be so much more gracious.
I am personally very sad to read these comments, please consider the fact that you are all obviously ignoring:
Tranny is a derogatory slur aimed to dehumanise an already marginalised minority group.
Refusing to understand is quite different to unable to understand.
Human dignity is the right of all including people Transgender people.
These pubs are not lgbtqi businesses they are straight heterosexual venues being taught it’s ok to slur transgender people by hosts they mistake as transgender.
This is very simple.
Tranny was never a derogatory slur at all. You are making it so and fuelling that fire. The word was coined within our community and was never pejorative.
Yours is a minority opinion and, worse, a scary word-policing one. People whom you’re telling off have been fighting for tranny rights since before you were born. Privileged and entitled: that is you.
There is no refusal to understand. What there is is a complete inability to align reality with your desire to feel offended from within your own community.
Disgusting.
why do you care???? So word reclamation is more important that trans safety and dignity. Gotcha? Who are u anyway?
I’m a gay Australian man who is voicing his opinion. I’m a gay Australian man who’s walked the walk.
Who are you to presume even to hint that I shouldn’t be allowed my opinion?
Lots of offence taken by people who perhaps haven’t even been alive long enough to have experienced actual discrimination. Such a shame. So precious we have become as a community. Such a horrible legacy for the next generation of snowflakes.
I wonder how the Tranny Granny of NZ would perceive this.
I AM A TRANNY BITCH, BITCH…
Actually, has any journalist asked Ms W who is funding this court action against 10 GLBTI venues? It shouldn’t be cheap to be a vexatious litigant. So, where is the money coming from?
Sydney has a long history of people claiming the word “Tranny” to do great things for our community, from the Tranny Pride Balls to the Tranny Pride Floats. I wore my Tranny Pride T-shirt when we lobbied successfully for transgender law reform in 1996, and you want to wipe out my history?
What’s a trans advocate? Some beyond (trans) giving voice to others (ad-vocate)? Surely with the Emperor Palpatine in charge of protecting religious freedom from our queerness, this is not time for suing others in our rebel alliance! Shame on the thought police, the word police, the critics who produce nothing themselves but just ark up to steal attention from those who do produce art and entertainment.
I feel that in this modern time especially within the LGBTI community everyone should feel safe.
And if someone doesn’t feel safe within that community over a word, then that word should cease to be used.
I have on my volition engaged lawyers to send out letters on my behalf to venues and organisers across NSW to desist in using the word Tranny in logos, advertising etc. it is time to put this to bed once and for all.
No body, no matter who they are should be allowed to continue to offend other people in that community by using an offensive word – especially for money.
Boong Bingo with black faced hosts would be an albeit extreme example of what I’m
trying to convey.
I would like to also note that 4 or 5 transgender people on the scene is not representative of the transgender population.
I stand by my actions, and I reiterate Tranny is a word now used an inflammatory word, a weapon of hate by non LGBTI people and the word must go, just like nigger did and other words used to oppress minority groups.
I beg your understanding in this regard.
You are a disgrace and are part of the problem. What do you are doing is destroying our community. You have turned on your own, like a starving piranha.
What’s next? Will you ban the screening of Priscilla because they say tranny in it?