Subject: [iyf] GPAC ACTION: ABC News 20/20 on Brandon Teena Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 18:37:38 -0500 From: owner-iyf-online@gpac.org Please forgive us for the delay in getting this to you; until today, we believed that you had received this a week ago. We have been experiencing a bit of technical difficulty, but the problem has now been resolved. Thank you for your understanding -The GenderPAC team GenderPAC 332 Bleecker St., #K-86, NY, NY 10014-2980 -- 212-645-2686 gpac@gpac.org -- http://www.gpac.org Action@GPAC Special Online Edition - February 11, 2000 --------------------------------------------------------------------- TAKE ACTION! TAKE ACTION! TAKE ACTION! --------------------------------------------------------------------- ABC NEWS 20/20 ON BRANDON TEENA: GOOD REPORTING BUT STILL NO RESPECT ABC News "20/20" last night aired the most complete and the most in-depth coverage yet afforded the tragic life and untimely death of Brandon Teena. The show successfully restrained from the kind of sensationalized pulp-fiction treatment this story has often been accorded in the media. Instead it focused on setting forth the facts in detail. In addition, ABC News "20/20" correctly noted how Sheriff Charles Laux's hostility toward Brandon and his inexcusable inaction to Brandon=B9s rape and beating contributed to his murder five days later. The segment also reported on the two other people killed at the farmhouse by John Lotter and Tom Nissen -- facts often omitted or de-emphasized in media coverage of Brandon's death, including the popular movie "Boys Don't Cry." While ABC News "20/20" broke new ground with this segment, they too fell prey to the same narrow stereotyping that eventually took the life of Brandon Teena. Like those who ostracized Brandon for expressing his true gender orientation in his everyday life, ABC News "20/20" added insult to injury by identifying Brandon throughout the twenty-minute segment as "she," "her," and "a girl." ABC News "20/20" was unfortunately unable to afford Brandon the respect for his gender orientation and gender expression that he sought in life and certainly should have earned by his death. Viewers were also treated to several gratuitous references to Brandon being a "great kisser" and lover. By comparison, it is difficult to imagine coverage of Mathew Shepard's tragic death in Wyoming including references to his romantic expertise or lack thereof. Finally, the "20/20" piece included several unfortunate statements about Brandon's so-called "true identity" being unmasked or revealed as if the expression of Brandon Teena's true gender orientation was a game or prank -- and not, as it was, a matter self-identity and self-determination. It is ABC's editorial policy to allow minorities to self-identify and define the terms by which they will be covered -- except when gender is at issue. [Is this true about ABC?] It is GenderPAC's position that human beings are not defined by their genitals, and in particular that people whose gender orientation is male do not stand "revealed" when the status of their genitals is made public knowledge against their will. In fact, Brandon's "true identity" was revealed every single morning as he left his house and lived openly and publicly as a man. Each of us has the right to express our gender orientation as we see fit and to have our gender orientation respected by our family, friends, neighbors, the media, the courts, and law enforcement without fear of discrimination and violence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GenderPAC applauds ABC News "20/20" for taking a bold step in covering, and not sensationalizing, Brandon Teena=B9s story. And while we are glad that "20/20" essentially stuck to the facts, work still needs to be done to educate the producers of "20/20" about using pronouns that respect a person's gender orientation. Call or write to ABC News and thank them for their accuracy in reporting, but also ask them to exercise sensitivity in their use of pronouns and respect for a person's gender orientation: 20/20: (212) 456-2020 or 2020@abc.com ABC News: (212) 456-4000 (tell them you'd like to comment on a show) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Action@GPAC is GenderPAC's call to action. GenderPAC's action alerts are sent out to everyone on our e-mailing list on a monthly basis. Our action alerts will give brief summaries of gender news from around the country with an option to participate in a coordinated effort to take action. Gender Public Advocacy Coalition is the national organization working to guarantee every American's civil right to express their gender orientation free of stereotypes, discrimination and violence. Please forgive us if you recieve multiple copies of this alert, as we are sending it to more than one list.