Lucy Grey: Gendernaut

Autostraddle — This Transphobic UK Ad Will Enrage, Hopefully Inspire You to Combat Cissexism →

transgenderexpress:

I shouldn’t be surprised by blatant transphobia and transmisogyny on television by now. The past year alone has brought us an SNL skit mocking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), aninvasive and judgmental Frontline ”documentary” on trans* youth, drummed-up controversy over Chaz Bono’s appearance on Dancing With the Stars, and ABC’s Work It. At this point, I really should know better — but I still wasn’t prepared for what I saw when I watched a commercial this morning for an online gambling website, Paddy Power.

The ad claims to have sent a number of trans women to Ladies’ Day at Cheltenham Festival (a horse racecourse in England), and invites viewers to “spot the stallions from the mares.” The camera then zooms in on several women in the crowd, with the narrator excitedly proclaiming each as either a “woman!” or “man!” He nearly loses it when a woman emerges from the men’s restroom: “Dog! I mean, uh, man!” (Why does it always come back to the bathrooms?)

In just 30 seconds, the commercial manages to broadcast the following not-so-subtle messages: that trans women are inherently ugly and should be ridiculed, that they aren’t even women at all, and that it’s perfectly acceptable for society to affirm or deny a trans* person’s gender identity based solely on their physical appearance. Never mind that trans* people face routine harassment, discrimination, and violence simply for living life authentically. If you’re like me, you might be shocked that such a horribly offensive ad was allowed to air repeatedly on television in 2012. But it was. Go ahead and watch it for yourself, but be forewarned: it’s really fucking upsetting.

  1. ribenaandxmas reblogged this from genderbitch
  2. mylittlebaneling reblogged this from cctcd and added:
    This is fucking evil I don’t even wtf.
  3. diana-m-m-v reblogged this from transgenderexpress
  4. lucstumblr reblogged this from transgenderexpress and added:
    Awesome piece by Annika on AS!
  5. fire-mountain reblogged this from see-reverse-side
  6. darthchao reblogged this from genderbitch
  7. lucstumblr said: I already commented on AS, but just wanted to give you props again for the piece. It was awesome!
  8. curiouslyhuman reblogged this from transinboots
  9. badendchan reblogged this from transgenderexpress
  10. transinboots reblogged this from transgenderexpress and added:
    very well written!
  11. mmattie reblogged this from genderbitch
  12. stealingfirefromprometheus reblogged this from captain-sonic
  13. captain-sonic reblogged this from genderbitch
  14. genderbitch reblogged this from see-reverse-side
  15. see-reverse-side reblogged this from amberneko and added:
    The ad has been pulled it seems....bit from Annika’s article
  16. pomme-poire-peche reblogged this from cctcd
  17. trannyboykc reblogged this from transgenderexpress
  18. sanaa-tamir reblogged this from cctcd
  19. amberneko reblogged this from transgenderexpress and added:
    I am so mad that I can’t see straight right now… omg. Thanks...letting this be know...
  20. flitterheart reblogged this from transgenderexpress
  21. fingerprintripples reblogged this from transgenderexpress and added:
    This is disgusting.
  22. cctcd reblogged this from transgenderexpress
  23. iamgrey reblogged this from transgenderexpress
  24. transgenderexpress posted this