Subject: "The Life and Death of Teena Brandon" Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 16:11:56 -0500 From: owner-action@gpac.org 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 - March 30, 2000 ------------------------------------------------------ TAKE ACTION! TAKE ACTION! TAKE ACTION! ------------------------------------------------------ Television's most genderphobic treatment yet of the murder of Brandon Teena aired last night on A&E Television Networks' "American Justice." The night's show was entitled "The Life and Death of Teena Brandon" and immediately gave viewers a taste of the narrow stereotyping of Brandon yet to come. The very title of the "American Justice" episode denied the gender orientation and gender expression Brandon Teena died trying to protect. The host brazenly referred to Brandon repeatedly throughout the hour-long program as a "girl posing as a man" who was "killed when she was exposed." At no time was Brandon's self-identified gender orientation accorded any respect or recognition. The program's sole redeeming aspect occurred in the final segment of the show that focused on the Transsexual Menace memorial vigil outside the murder trial of John Lotter and Tom Nissen. Also aired were brief statements by Deputy Sheriff Tony Barreto-Neto of TOPS (Transgender Officers Protect & Serve) and Gina Reiss, Managing Director of GenderPAC. In addition, American Justice included footage of Sheriff Charles Laux's interview with Brandon after he was raped, highlighting the Sheriff's attempts to make the Brandon's retelling of his rape as humiliating and difficult for the young man as possible. The producers had worked closely with the gender community and repeatedly assured interviewees that the production would be a respectful treatment of Brandon. When GenderPAC was informed of the program's title -- just two days before the airing -- the organization asked it be changed. The request was denied. In telephone conversations producers defended their efforts as "the best that could be accomplished under the circumstances." Yet the show stands in marked contrast to A&E's earlier work by producers Kate Davis and David Heilbruner, entitled "Transgender Revolution," which treated the community with respect and dignity. Notably, for that program, producers adhered to GenderPAC's request that the show respect 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. ------------------------------------------------------ Please call Tower Productions in Chicago, Illinois, where the American Justice program is produced, at 312-993-1550 or fax a complaint to 312-993-1533. You can also contact A&E Television Networks Viewer Relations at 212-210-1400 or fax them at 212-210-9077 or log on to their web site at www.aande.com, go to their "American Justice" section, hit "Share your thoughts", and register your complaint online. Give them the following information: this American Justice Program aired Wednesday, March 29, 2000, at 10pm EST, and it was called "The Life and Death of Teena Brandon". Tell them to respect gender orientation and not to further stereotypes that lead to discrimination and violence. In addition, ask them to exercise sensitivity in their use of pronouns and respect for a person's gender orientation next time they air a program like this. 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. ------------------------------------------------------ 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. ------- To be removed from this list, send an e-mail to majordomo@gpac.org with the following text in the message body (without the quotes or brackets): "unsubscribe action [your@email.here]"