Trans Erasure Again In The Coverage Of The Puerto Rico Hate Crime Victim

Hold it, Autumn

The initial pictures of Mercado defintely showed him to be a male (with a variant "gender expression"...am I using those words right?_. There was speculation in the first couple of days as to whether this was a crime against a transwoman but I don't think that was clearly known.

I'm a little confused about this, actually. (and I am inviting some trouble, starting now)

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by: kevinchi @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 14:40:24 PM CST

Of course, the family could have

provided those pictures.

I just remember that with LaTeisha Green and with Angie Zapata, even the initial pictures that were shown (presumably) by the the family showed that they were trans; there was never any doubt about it. In this case, maybe, maybe not.

I could see 365gay being as confused about what to do in this specific case as I am. (Mercado may or may not lived as trans but he certainly died that way...)

I'm not trying to be harsh or transphobic (although maybe I am) I'm just a little unsure about this.

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by: kevinchi @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 14:52:01 PM CST

[ Parent ]

The first time I saw his pictures, I began thinking he was trans-something

Sorry - but his pictures had a certain 'look' about them.

In fact, in the first comment I made (I forget which thread it was on), I simply asked if there might be some trans aspect to it - and, at the time, no one posting knew.  I presume that this was, in large part, because everyone was dependent on translations of whatever source material was coming out of Puerto Rico.

However...

it doesn't matter if he was a he and intended to remain a he but was crossdressed at the time of the murder OR if he was in the process of transitioning.

The key is what I stated over at ENDABlog:

And if "Gender Identity" Hadn't Been in the Hate Crime Law, This Wouldn't Have Been Covered

Thank you Autumn for 'going there' on this one.  I didn't want to be the instigator of anything here - but that Vanasco piece at 365Gay really pissed me off.

No real analysis of the potential ramifications of the trans aspect...

but she has a picture of herself.

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 16:40:06 PM CST

[ Parent ]

um .. no

That photo is of the author.

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by: ggw59 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 16:53:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

That was my point

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 19:14:46 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Gender Identity in legislation is important

Personally, I never wanted gender identity dropped from any legislation. I've always understood gender identity as an LGBT issue. An LGB and T issue. I don't know why so many LGBs believed it was only a T issue in the first place, as if gays never experience discrimination based on their gender expression.

When I get crap from strangers it's always based on how I look and not because they have any evidence that I'm attracted to or having sex with girls. I thought that was pretty common for gay people who can't pass for straight. I never stopped to asked anyone who was threatening me if they were transphobic or homophobic. I just assume they don't like queers.

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by: GrrrlRomeo @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 17:27:08 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Gender Identity

 is a human issue. There's no rule of sunshine or moonshine. . .sometimes there's dawn and dusk & with others its noon or midnight. . .damned humans.

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by: ggw59 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 17:54:18 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Gay men can't dress in drag without being transwomen now?

I don't think so.  Is it so impossible to believe that he could just make a better living posing as a female prostitute than as a male one?

There is no evidence whatsoever in any of the public record to date (and I'm sure I've read all of it and you cite nothing new) that justifies forcing a trans identity onto this gay man.

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by: diablorobotico @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 18:40:41 PM CST

[ Parent ]

No

Gay men can't dress in drag without being transwomen now?

No - I have no idea of the victim was a transwoman or a gay man in drag or something else.  I am making a statement as to the state of the law: unless defined otherwise, 'sexual orientation' encompasses ONLY who you have sex with, NOT anything whatsoever to do with what you look like.  Translation: "gay men...in drag" need "gender identity" language as much as fully-transitioned transsexuals.

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 19:14:29 PM CST

[ Parent ]

It sounds like we basically agree.

No, we can't know the victim's views directly now, but everything we do know about him says that he was a gay man.  One thing we know is that for this one evening he was apparently presenting as a woman. So did Rudy Giuliani a couple of times, but that doesn't make him a transwoman.

I agree that we need gender identity in laws.  I agree that you could use all sorts of gender identity language to describe how this young man was dressed that night.  I disagree that the way this young man was dressed makes him a transwoman.

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by: diablorobotico @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 10:36:47 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I've tried my damndest

to be both thorough and accurate with this story throughout, as well as use the language consistently provided by both the stories found online and by the translations people have done for me.

Was Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado a transwoman? I honestly can't say that I know enough to say that conclusively. This could well be a function of being extraordinarily ignorant/new and if I have helped spread an inaccurate picture of Lopez Mercado, I sincerely apologize for my errors.

Edge has this quote from a friend, Luis Rivera:

His friends became concerned after he failed to meet them at a popular gay club in the San Juan's Santurce neighborhood.

"The last thing we said to each other was that we would meet at a club and he would come with other friends... but he never came," López's friend Luis Rivera told a local radio station.

Friends have also consistently used the name "Steven".

I know the club was called "Krash de Santurce" and I'm still trying to find more statements from other friends or family.  Will link if any are located...  

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by: Louise @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 15:20:39 PM CST

Louise

Your reporting on this has been fantastic, and accurate.

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by: ggw59 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 15:29:46 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Krash

is a huge nightclub, and dressing in drag for a night out friends for a theme night isn't unusual. And before I get jumped on again, the term "drag" comes from shakespeare.

There's a difference between "D.R.essed A.s G.irl" and Trans.

No confirmation on this whatsoever. Jumping to premature conclusions get us nowhere.

The AP stylesheet just doesn't apply at this time, and may actually backfire if it's used before confirmation of identity one way or another.

If we wan't to see a great example of the stylesheet, watch the Chaz Bono interview from this mornings GMA. It was spot on fantastic.

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by: ggw59 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 16:12:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yes and No

There's a difference between "D.R.essed A.s G.irl" and Trans.

It depends on what you mean by "trans."

If you mean "transgender," then (in its modern definitional incarnation) that encompasses "drag."  If you mean "transsexual," then they are indeed different...

except for purposes of laws that are not trans-inclusive.

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 19:31:06 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I thought this was a gay hate crime

The initial stories I read referred to the victim as a gay male and the photos I saw were clearly a male.

As Kevin said, those photos may have been the way the family wanted their kin remembered and had no correlation to Mercado's presented on a daily basis.  

Be better, not bitter!

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by: Anthony in Nashville @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 15:29:14 PM CST

Thank you for the styleguide links, Autumn.

I've bookmarked all of them.

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by: Gianpiero @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 15:30:05 PM CST

Yes, thank you Autumn! :)

I had them bookmarked in my last laptop, which died over the summer and awaits either a date with the repairman we know 40 miles away or a big hammer.

Saving AGAIN for reference/sharing with others...

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by: Louise @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 15:39:09 PM CST

[ Parent ]

ditto

I've sometimes been a bit confused; thanks for the links

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by: Passionforprog @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 17:18:23 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Thanks

Thanks for this post, Autumn.  I have been wondering if Lopez Mercado was someone appropriate to bring up in the context of TDOR or if I was just shifting focus to the G again instead of the T, which I try to be vigilant about.  I'm grateful to hear that you also believe that this particular murder victim is someone to remember tomorrow, and that I'm not being a typical tone-deaf GWM talking about him/her/hir.

Like Louise, I don't know what the right pronoun is here, but I think it's absolutely necessary to ask that question.  Thanks for everything you do to increase trans visibility here!

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by: celloshots @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 15:31:20 PM CST

Autumn,

I think it highly unlikely you might be able to get to PR for the trial proceedings.  But you did such a stunning job on the Angie Zapata trial, I'd love to see you make the effort, if you can.  Either way, I'm sure you'll be on top of this story, and I know you'll be a solid guide to the proceedings and the issues.  Thanks so much for keeping us all aware and honest.  (No slight to Louise meant.  She's been terrific on this too.)

It occurs to me that the lines between sexual orientation, gender expression and sexual identity may be somewhat blurred in PR--as they often are here.  Without wanting to sound patronizing, people in both the gay and trans communities there may simply not have the knowledge, insight or education to make the appropriate distinctions.

Also, do you know if any of the trans advocacy orgs getting involved in this awful case?

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

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by: QScribe @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 16:05:04 PM CST

Thanks for raising awareness

Autumn, thanks for raising awareness on this. I'm as annoyed as you that it seems so hard to get journalists to adopt and internalize the inclusive style guidelines regarding gay as well as transgender people.

I have to admit, though, that I was swayed by the photograph that came out with the story and am as unsure of the victim's identification as everyone else seems to be. But if he did present as female, then you're obviously right, and we need to get it right.

It's also curious to consider the non-trans presumption that many of us have brought to this. I know folks have complained for years and the heterosexual presumption, requiring a virtual affidavit of gay sex to get a journalist to call you gay in print. How should we approach this case? Should we presume transgender from the circumstances of the incident until we get some evidence that the victim didn't actually present as a women most of the time? Should we not presume anything from the circumstances of the incident? But then would we presume non-trans until we know more?

In the end, at the very least I can say thank goodness we have a federal hate crimes law in case Puerto Rican authorities mess this up!

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by: jstephenclark @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 16:09:22 PM CST

@Autumn

I want to see every bit as much anger and disgust as LGBTs had over Matthew Shepard
I don't want a Latino or transgender boy, or feminine demeanor to any way have us less commited to this murder

by: peteyPornpig @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 16:15:53 PM EST
    http://www.pamshouseblend.com/...
.............................

Yesterday looking at Jorge's photo and age
I thought there would be no way they could manufacture a gay panic against him that would be believable...yet here it is TRANS-PANIC.
f*ck,, f*ck, f*ck!

I'm glad they caught this maggot, and if there's JUSTICE, he'll never get out of a cage, or executed....(this is regardless of what the courts give him.)

by: peteyPornpig @ Tue Nov 17, 2009 at 14:22:20 PM EST

WHO'S DIVIDING WHOM?


"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner

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by: peteyPornpig @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 16:10:40 PM CST

THERE'S THE TRANSLATED PRIMERAHORA LINK!

Damn, petey, I've been going out of my wee noggin looking for the damned thing:

Yesterday, his friends crying disbelief the news of their beloved Steven, who was found Friday in a wooded area Guavate neighborhood in Cayey, partially burned, dismembered and decapitated.

"Steven never deserved to die in this way, I can not even believe what happened and that anyone has been able to commit an atrocity like that with him," questioned Luis Rivera, one of the best friends of the boy, who liked to participate in events such as Road to Diva, a highly recognized competition transforms into the gay scene.

In fact, Louis and Steven talked last Thursday, the day that friends of the couple began to wonder, then did not attend the activity to be carried out at the club Krash of Santurce.

"The last thing we talked about is that we find in the disco and that he would go with some friends ... but never, "said Rivera, who tried unsuccessfully to communicate with the youth through his cell phone.

"We call all day and did not respond, then we knew that something was wrong," he said, who had a "feeling" that Steven could have happened something wrong when he read through the press that the body of a boy with features found in Cayey.

"Immediately, I went to the barracks with a picture of him and alerted her family," said the bitter moment when the victim's relatives had to identify the body at the Institute of Forensic Sciences.

"His family is devastated. They are suffering much, much, "he said on the parents of Steven, who asked the press area to channel the loss of his son.

And I'm still waiting to a followup on THIS part of same story:

For his part, Pedro Julio Serrano, a leading human rights activist and spokesman for Puerto Rico Para Tod @ s, mourned the death of Young, with whom he shared informally at the gay clubs and community activities undertaken by the organization captains.

"I think it's a time to reflect and pause as a society ... we oppose the sexual orientation of other people, but you can encourage a climate of intolerance and violence, so far as to kill others, "Serrano said in urging the authorities to enforce existing laws on the island that recognize and punish the crimes committed by and against prejudice toward the victim. The statutes are Law 46 of 2002 and Article 72 of the Criminal Code of 2004.

fact, Serrano hinted that a few weeks ago also alerted the authorities about another possible hate crime, raised in County when a young gay man was stabbed to death on facts that have not yet been clarified by the police.

"I hope that this is isolated and not linked to each other," he said, recalling the 27 serial killings that occurred on homosexuals in the 80s, by Angel Maldonado Colón, the "Angel of the bachelors' , who is currently serving a life sentence.

THIS IS TO BE CONSIDERED UNSUBSTANTIATED RUMOR ONLY UNTIL I HAVE VERIFICATION- but I have been told by someone in Puerto Rico that the confessed murderer HAS indeed been charged with a second murder... when I have clarification/confirmation, I will share ASAP.

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by: Louise @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 16:25:26 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I 100% agree....

Reading through the story it clearly rings out that Mercado was trans.  Even the picture I saw andro enough to make me suspect before even reading about the dress and outward female presentation.  That's my 2 cents...it takes one to know one kind of deal.

That being said, yes, tomorrow is International Transgender Day of Remembrance.  Take some time to educate your peers and families as to what Trans actually means and incorporates.  We can not remain invisible and should never be erased through relegation.

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by: P4ttythe3p3rf3ct @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 16:16:15 PM CST

Who's erasing what?

Because there aren't any genderqueer or gender variant gays I guess. You're either trans or gay, you either identify as male or female. There's no in between or overlap.

I don't understand the erasing of inherent gender fluidity of gay identity. There doesn't seem to be any consideration for gays who present themselves as the opposite gender because they don't fit the gender role for their sex or so they can pass for straight as a matter of survival.

When someone presents as female it doesn't always mean that they identify as female.

I'm sorry if I come off as being insensitive to trans people, but gay people have feelings too. This is upsetting to me. I wear Men's clothes all the time, but I'm a gay female. I don't want to be a man. And like most gay people, I understand gay identity as being inclusive of gender variances.

This is exactly why I don't understand what transgender is supposed to mean. Does it mean erasing the gayness of every stone butch and drag queen that's ever lived and claiming them as only transgender and retroactively assigning them a gender identity and pronoun? And does it mean fracturing gay identity and narrowing it to merely a synonym for homosexual?

If transgender is truly supposed to be an umbrella term then it why is it not assumed that Mercado is a transgender gay teen?

It's one thing to define what transgender means when you identify as transgender, it's entirely different when you start defining what gay identity means for gay people.

If as the story progresses it turns out that Mercado was living and identifying as female and preferred female pronouns, I will readily accept xem as a transwoman. But to say is xe is the gender xe was presenting at the time of hir death suggests that xe is defined by hir death and not hir life.

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by: GrrrlRomeo @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 16:57:57 PM CST

thank you.

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by: ggw59 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 17:04:34 PM CST

[ Parent ]

specifically:

It's one thing to define what transgender means when you identify as transgender, it's entirely different when you start defining what gay identity means for gay people.

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by: ggw59 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 17:18:54 PM CST

[ Parent ]

What upset me.

Given the facts of this story as we know them, this is not the story of a gay teen that was killed. This is the story of a trans teen who was allegedly brutally murdered

Is what just set me off. I don't know how anyone can be so sure given the facts of the case. It's upsetting to me regardless if this is the story of a gay male teen, a teenage transwoman or a genderqueer gay teen. One of our own was murdered in the most horrific manner. Hate is more complex than "is it transphobia or homophobia?"

If it turns out this this is the story of a trans teen who was not gay, it's not like I'm going to go "oh, thank goodness it wasn't because he was gay." I don't know how anyone could think that.  

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by: GrrrlRomeo @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 18:35:25 PM CST

[ Parent ]

It DOESN'T MATTER how the teen identified

What matters is that the teen's attire at the time of the attack did not align with what is traditionally expected of people with the genitalia presumably possessed by the teen.

What matters is that the fact pattern of this attack - as it has been delineated thus far - would NOT fall under the federal definition of "hate crime" were it not for "gender identity" being part of the new law.  If this had happened in Texas, all the defendant's attorneys would have to do is point to the definition of sexual orientation preference and there could be no hate crime enhancement under Texas law.

I agree with the comments that are concerned about whether the victim should be referred to as a "trans woman."  I haven't seen any report yet that makes it clear that that should be the case.  However, it is proper to refer to the victim as a "trans teen," if for no other reason than the legal definitional matters I've noted above.

Yes - it can get confusing.

However, someone with the privileged position of Vanasco should be able to sort it out enough to at least make it clear that, based on what we know thus far, both "gay" and "trans" would seem to be appropriate so long as they are used together.

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 19:27:07 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Lots of projecting

Not sure what point you were making by striking orientation. Is that what the law says in Texas? And yeah, I know gender identity needs to be part of the language in legislation. It's not like ALL gay people wanted to drop it. Some of us understand, and always have understood, that gender identity is a gay issue as well as a trans issue. But instead of educating LGBT community in a way that made us all see how gender identity affects us all, some chose to go the route of protesting gays to get them to support what is often characterized as a trans only issue.

It's not always about privilege. We see a victim and we see ourselves in that victim, as that victim. We see how "this could've happened to me." It's called empathy and compassion.

The reality is when LGBT journalists report on these stories they're going to be close to them emotionally and that's going to cause them to make mistakes.

So yes, perhaps Vanasco made a mistake here because she understands gay identity as being inclusive of gender variance. But certainly Autumn made at least an equal error by stating this was a trans person and a trans issue and not a gay teen at all. And in fact she seems offended that the victim is being referred to as gay.

At least Vanasco didn't say Mercado was absolutely NOT trans. There's no explicit exclusion in her piece.

This all just makes me think if I was murdered I would be found in Men's clothes and that means someone would think it necessary to apply male pronouns to my story. Or even more disturbing if the murderer thought I was male that would mean I should be referred to as he...as if a victim is defined by what a murderer thought.

I think we're all projecting ourselves onto this story and this person. But you know, attack first, ask questions later right?

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by: GrrrlRomeo @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 07:09:04 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Yes

Not sure what point you were making by striking orientation. Is that what the law says in Texas?

Yes - that was one of the 'compromises' that was accepted in Texas (the other, of course, being removal of gender identity):

In this article, "sexual preference" has the following meaning only: a preference for heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality.

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 09:34:09 AM CST

[ Parent ]

How Many?

So how many gays do you think were willing to make that compromise and why do you think they made it?

We didn't compromise with the federal law and I think that showed that the HRC and Barney Frank aren't representative of the LGBT community (mostly because Frank and HRC live in bubbles and don't have direct experience with how discrimination usually plays out in the real world).

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by: GrrrlRomeo @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 10:27:49 AM CST

[ Parent ]

That there is confusion even here is telling

We've muddled things up so badly that even LGBT folks don't know the difference between transgender and transsexual.

...

"You're either trans or gay"...No; if you are gay you are trans.  But not transsex; transgender.

"Transgender" is the larger umbrella, and it includes gay.

Just about everything that is trans, or opposite, to mainstream society's extreme stereotypes for either 100% Male or 100% Female is transgender.  Think "anything that transgresses a gender stereotypical appearance or role".  

Wearing the clothing of the opposite gender
(crossdressing ) = transgender

Assuming a social role of the opposite gender
(non-traditional gender role) = transgender

Needing the body of the opposite (bodied) gender
(transsexual) = transgender

Loving the same gender as the opposite gender
(Lesbian, Gay and sometimes Bi) = transgender

"gender fluidity of gay identity" is a mix of several of these, with a few variations thrown in, as well.  Nothing is being erased.

...

Transsexual is a subset, a specific type of transgender:

An internal gender identity that is opposite the gender identity assigned by a doctor at birth = transsexual

Having the medical condition of needing to "fix" the body to match your brain's body map = transsexual

"trans man" / "trans woman" = transsexual

For the sake of this argument, HBS women = transsexual (although I believe that they would want it more accurately stated that they were transsexual but post surgery are no longer, as the somatic mismatch has been rectified)

...

The confusion and muddying have only become worse as "T" has returned to greater inclusion after a period of exclusion.  The question is not, "when does the T in LGBT = transgender and when does it = transsexual", but rather, "when does it matter"?  

For those comparisons and situations and even laws when it does matter we need better nomenclature.  

For greater understanding among all LGBTQQI and the general public, we need more precise language.  

For those times when it is important to educate people, employers and legislators that gender and sexuality are two independent attributes of each individual, we need names that don't have the same short form of "trans".  

For all other times, "transgender" will do, nicely.

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by: sarasnavel @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 02:28:11 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I know the definition

"You're either trans or gay"...No; if you are gay you are trans.  But not transsex; transgender.

I know the definitions. I was being sarcastic. I thought that'd be obvious in the context of the rest of my post. My bad. I know the precise technical definitions in the LGBT glossary. The problem is I always see transgender used as a synonym for transsexual and words are defined more by how they are used.

I do understand gay as being inherently transgender technically and that gender fluidity and gender variance is technically transgender. Gay is homosexual and transgender in my book. And that makes gay transgender seem redundant in addition to being confusing because someone who is gay and transgender could also be a transwoman who is attracted to women, or a transman who is attracted to men.

I also do not believe it is my place to define what transgender identity means. It is the place of people who identify as transgender to define it. If they want it to be an umbrella term, they have to use it that way.

And the frequency in which I see transfolk use the phrase "cisgender gay" "cisgay" "cishomo" leads me to believe that most do not want gays under their umbrella. I haven't the slightest clue how a gay person can be cisgender. But if I disagree I'm told I have privilege and that makes me not allowed to even define what gay means, I guess. (I concede that I have privilege in that I'm not transsexual, but as far as social privilege goes I don't pass for anything but queer. Even if people think I'm a guy, they think I'm a gay guy.)

If you don't think anything is being erased, I suggest re-reading what Autumn has posted as she explicitly states that this is not a story of a gay teen but of a trans teen, and I'm inferring she means a transsexual teen since she's demanding all the pronouns be changed.

I completely and wholly understand why heterosexual transwoman and transmen don't want to be mistaken for homosexual. Heterosexuality and homosexuality is defined by one's own sex in addition to the sex one is attracted to. But it should also be understood that gays don't want to be mistaken for transsexual. We spend our lives trying to explain to people that just because we're attracted to the same sex does not mean we're transsexual. And as long as transgender is used a synonym for transsexual, gays are going to reject it regardless of what it says in the dictionary or glossary.

I'm sorry I sort of hijacked this topic from the real issue here, which is that Mercado was murdered for being different. I feel awful, I felt awful to begin with and have been recently frustrated by some folks who feel they're entitled to kick gays around and fracture gay identity for their own gain. It just all came together at once I guess.

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by: GrrrlRomeo @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 08:36:18 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I know you do

...and I very much appreciated what you wrote, despite us having a difference of opinion on a few of the practical observations and repercussions.  

You didn't hijack the thread. Mercado's life was taken for not being a heterosexual male or female in all regards, be it appearance, identity or role.  Not a very fair trade; in fact I can think of nothing  more terrifying.  My oldest child fits that description (as do I, but that only allows me to more fully realize what lay ahead for her).

"I also do not believe it is my place to define what transgender identity means. It is the place of people who identify as transgender to define it."

And that is the crux of the problem: none of us are given the chance to define ourselves and have those definitions respected and not feared.  And this comes not only from the uninformed masses, but from within as well!  Insofar as nothing being erased, I was referring to the unrealized ideal presented, whereupon Mercado could have simply described as "transgender" and that could have meant gay, gay-in-drag, genderfluid, hetero-crossdressed or transsexual and it would not have mattered.  Transgender would not be a definition other than implying transgression of unrealistic gender expectations.

In an ideal use of transgender, Mercado's self definition would not have been subject to claim by gays or transsexuals or anyone else.  We all would have claimed the loss of one of our own, but it would have been done together, with a clear respect for whatever self-definition was the truth.  We wouldn't be claiming a "transsexual" death or a "gay" death like a pack of morbid trophy hunters.  But that ideal does not exist today.  It has in the past and I believe it will again, but we have a lot of work ahead of us to bring it (back) to fruition.  There is a lot of desperation, erasure (as you used the term), ignorance and fear to overcome.

As you pointed out we must stop using transgender as a synonym for transsexual.  We (everyone) must educate ourselves and the public by correcting incorrect usage of the terms with as much fervor as we (transsexuals) do the use of pronouns or we (gays and lesbians) do the misinterpretation of gender identity.  

Believe it or not, things are pretty easy right now. All of us are being targeted and have frightening battles ahead of us that will try to exploit our differences. The fights that lie ahead must not be lost due to fighting within, and they must not be lost due to a lack of clarity as to who we are.  The other side, after all, has God on their side.

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by: sarasnavel @ Sat Nov 21, 2009 at 01:51:56 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Insensitive coverage, but we don't know how Lopez self-identified

Based on the news accounts I've seen, it's premature to assume how Lopez self-identified.

First off, as far as I know, we've only got the killer's word that Lopez was dressed as a woman -- although the wig found by police would seem to support that (although I never saw anything that identified the wig as being a man's wig or woman's wig -- it's possible the killer wore a wig to conceal his identity if he was cruising for men). And in the story Louise cited, Lopez was referred to as "Steven" by friends -- although the story highlighted Lopez's fashion and make-up skills.

None of which is incompatible Lopez being trans. But like with Lawrence King, we just don't know whether Lopez identified (or would later identify) as a woman, or whether he was femmy gay man experimenting/playing with crossdressing -- or whether he was femmy, or even crossdressing.

That said, given the trans erasure in the Soldier's Girl case -- which gay activists used to force a review of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" (while portraying the victim's girlfriend as a gay drag queen rather than a trans woman -- and the way that the possibility Lawrence King might be trans has been too often omitted in coverage of the case, I hope people can understand why this might be a sensitive point. And 365Gay's coverage could been more sensitive given the uncertainty.

Regardless of whether Lopez was trans or a femmy ant gay man or just in drag for a fun night out, it's important to remember that those who hate us generally don't bother with the distinctions between LGB and T.

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by: LenaD @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 17:14:16 PM CST

"Femmy"

I haven't heard that term in years. . . .

DIBS!

. . . .and also what LenaD said.

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by: ggw59 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 17:27:05 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Thanks guys

And I feel as if I came off a little harsh Autumn and that was wrong.

Given what even the 365gay story said (the words of a friend of friends of the victim) and the gender presentation in the photograph, I was confused from the outset of this story. Maybe there's no gender category (?)that we have that accurately fits the victim. I must say that at the time, it sounded as if it could be a trans crime but again, I wasn't sure.

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by: kevinchi @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 17:15:23 PM CST

I certainly hope you commented under the 365 piece...

I was so afraid that this is what happened. I guess you need to have trained people be available to be flown to the location of a crime and begin doing correct reports right from the get go.

In this case, they would need to be bilingual too I suppose. 

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 19:09:37 PM CST

I get your point... but

I do not think that it erases the reality of the facts.  This was a brutal murder, and a horrendously evil act, and whether this was an act against a transgender person, or gay person, or both, is to me somewhat beside the point.

I do get your point as Mercado presented as a female, that was anatomically different from his sex at birth.  But from news reports, we are only provided a mere snapshot of the victim's life--the moment of Mercado's death.  And to me, personally, taking this snapshot and extrapolating who Mercado was from just this moment, makes so many assumptions, and makes this argument unnecessary...

But still, it seems that in your complaint, there is a core argument that is intriguing.  At its core, transgender remains essentially an "umbrella" political term, used to identify so many different groups of people that are quite different, but who fall under the umbrella of non-conforming gender.  And having all these different groups of people, who don't all neatly fit under this umbrella, requires that people buy into the identity of transgender.  But as a political term, being transgender could also neatly apply to most LGBT people as well, because our sexual orientation does not conform to expectations of our gender.  In my opinion, all of us in the LGBT community could be defined, to some degree, gender-queer or transgender.  The definitions lack boundaries, and its source is that there remains an "us" versus "them" mentality--a split within the LGBT community--where we seek out our individual identities based on the characteristics that we MOST identify with, instead of seeing the commonalities between us.

And I get it.  There is a need to identify Mercado as transgender, and it is a direct function of the lack of political and visible respect for transgender people as a group and in politics.  Yet in this context, it still seems rather awkward to lay claim over an individual as being "one of us" versus "one of them."

In the end, I do not find the reporter's error to be egregious, even in the context of the style guide.  The reporter provided the facts here, and although it is disconcerting not to see any specific mention of Mercado being transgender, the facts certainly spell them out.

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by: Michaelw552 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 21:50:11 PM CST

Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado was murdered.

It does matter how he identified his sexuality. But the ugly truth is that Puerto Rican society, like ours, is infested with bigot cults and with police, judges and politicians who cater to them and they don't worry about what he thought.  

They worry about how to get the killer off. One cop already exonerated the murder by saying that people 'like that' should expect to be treated 'like that'. That will make trying and punishing his murderer much more difficult.

Another important question is whether or not leaders of the Puerto Rico Democratic Party and political leaders in the US like Obama and McCain denounce the murder and the use of the anti-GLBT 'gay panic' defense.

Maybe Pam would be so kind as to put up one of those clocks so we can see how long it takes Biden, Pelosi, Reid and Obama to speak out about the 'gay panic' defense. And hopefully a Blender in Puerto Rico can keep us up to date on background events there.

Given that Puerto Rico is a colonial possession of the US we want to be careful about demanding the application of US laws there. The UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights and resolutions of the UN and world judicial groups cover the question. People in the US can help by demanding that the authorities not permit the use of the 'gay panic'. We should also demand that the roman catholic cult, whose bigotry promotes violence, be fined the equivalent of $100 million dollars a year for the next 10 years to compensate his family, fund anti-violence and anti-bigotry programs, fund a massive distribution of condoms and fund programs to help GLBT youth who end up being forced into prostitution.  

That's what a decent government would do.  
 

The looter rich much prefer working with Democrats like Obama and the Clintons - they're greedier, they fool more people and they're able to get away with a lot more than Republicans.  

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by: donal1944 @ Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 23:28:29 PM CST

To those who say I jumped too far in my conclusion...

...You're probably right.

My feeling is that the assumption should be the victim was trans until shown the victim was shown not to be, based on gender expression of the victim at the time of the brutal murder, and what the styleguides say about how to refer to people based on how they present themselves publicly.

Frankly, I'm tired of media always getting gender identity wrong on the first brush of the story, and then constantly using the male name over and over again when covering the story of trans people later.

The thing is, I don't know any sex workers who present as female only when working. They probably exist, but everyone I'm aware of from Spanish and Portuguese language countries/areas in our country -- or south of our southern boarder -- who presents as female while working the streets, also presents as female while not working. (And, I know I'm also making an strong assumption the victim was a sex worker when we only have the murder's statement taht the victim was a sex worker.)

Genitalia under clothing shouldn't be an excuse for murder, I think we would all agree there. But calling it trans erasure? I should have said possible erasure. I would even say probable erasure. But you're right, I likely jumped the gun in anger saying it definitely was erasure. Again, none of us know how the victim presented when not on the streets, so we'll have to wait and see if she is trans or if he is gay -- or if, as I know some trans women from south of the border identify as both transgender and gay.

But that said, the lead investigator was taken off of the case for blaming the victim for the crime, saying on a Spanish language television (I think it was Telemundo) shouldn't have been out dressed as a female, when the victim was male, and working the streets. The investigator blamed the victim for gender expression, sexual orientation, and assumed profession. That angers me.

We know no matter what this is an LGBT related murder as the killer is claiming the standard gay panic/trans panic defense. Hate is for gay/trans people is at the heart of this killing. And, as I saw with the Angie Zapata Hate Crime Murder Trial, the killers often don't separate gay hating and trans hating.

But, if -- God forbid -- I'm killed in a hate crime, I don't want to be called a gay man, and/or referred to by my old, male name. I am a woman who currently has male genitalia; I will fix that anomaly within 2 or 3 years, but in the meantime I am what I am.

So, if a person dressed as a woman has male genitalia when murdered, per the styleguides I'd rather see the assumption made that a victim was trans instead of assuming the victim was gay -- and corrections made later if the victim turns out to be gay. Currently, even LGBT MSM doesn't make that assumption, and I believe that the GLAAD, NLGJA, and AP styleguides indicate that they all should make that assumption.

Making the wrong assumption about a person's gender identity based on genitalia I believe is more harmful in the long run than getting the sexuality of a person wrong -- This is because the wrong name is then consistently used in further coverage. I saw this with the Angie Zapata, LaTiesha Green, and Gwen Araujo murder trials -- frankly, I'm tired of the wrong assuption, based on genitalia alone, always being the starting point.

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~~Autumn~~

As if there were safety in stupidity alone.
--Henry David Thoreau

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by: Autumn Sandeen @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 12:21:13 PM CST

I love that you brought this up.

We may never know exactly how Jorge identified. Given that Jorge was only 19, it's possible Jorge was trans and questioning or not yet out.

Regardless, though, of Jorge's identity, our media should have -- and adhere to -- a professional standard of identifying people based on how they present their gender. It's true that with most murders of transwomen in particular, the media usually starts in the wrong place and works backwards -- a move that ultimately ends up demeaning the victim and their life and experience.

Thanks for your boldness and fabulousness, Autumn! Keep it coming.  :)

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by: jay_eqca @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 17:53:31 PM CST

[ Parent ]

but he could have

just been a drag queen... no trans anything ...

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by: sickntired @ Sat Nov 21, 2009 at 00:12:13 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Coverage of Jorge's Death

This is Mike Lavers from EDGE Publications. I have covered Jorge's death extensively for the Web site, and I'd like to offer some additional information. My source in Puerto Rico, who remains in constant contact with Jorge's friends and family, definitely confirms Jorge identified as a gay man--and not transgender as some folks continue to argue. His perceived or actual (and I deliberately speak in the subjunctive here) gender identity or expression certainly continues to garner a lot of attention and/or speculation, but from what I know at this point from sources in Puerto Rico I will not conclude Jorge identified as transgender. As someone who has covered trans and trans-related issues for a number of years, I certainly understand and appreciate those folks who continue to point out Jorge was trans, but the way Jorge reportedly identified himself leads me to believe he was gay--and not trans (at least from where I sit.) I am more than happy to talk further about this, so don't hesitate to contact me directly at mklavers@gmail.com.

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by: mykey81 @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 14:59:31 PM CST

I would rebut that by saying...

Nothing excludes Mercado from being both gay and transgender.  I'm sorry.  This is the one thing that I absolutely will never understand.  

Why is it necessary to say "Mercado was gay, so this was a gay hate crime" or "Mercado was trans, so this is a trans hate crime?"  I still firmly agree with my previous statement, but I admire Autumn for what she wrote in response.  

The real jist of this disconnect between our arguments is our misunderstanding of IDENTITY VERSUS EXPRESSION... NOT NECESSARILY OF GAY VERSUS TRANSGENDER.  An understanding of Mercado's identity can never take away the fact that he was dressed as a female, appeared as a female, and looked like a female.  So, I repeat, this is not about laying claim.

Because based on identity and expression, Mercado was BOTH gay and transgender.  Let's try not to forget that.  We are more than our identities, and more than the way that people perceive us.  I personally would want respect for both.

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by: Michaelw552 @ Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 19:26:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]