I try to remain unoffended as much as possible — it just makes for a happier life all the way around.
But there’s something about this story — “Conversation with transvestite prostitute gives insight” — in the Independent Florida Alligator, a student publication of the University of Florida, that, well, offends me (that’s my righteous indignation photo, for those new to this blog).
It’s a student publication, so I should be more forgiving, but actually, there’s a lot of things that bother me — starting with the headline and moving on to the opening sentence: “When I told my editor I’d do a feature on a tranny prostitute, I sort of meant it as a joke.”
Then this reporter, Katherine Bein, hunts down a sex worker named Skittles who apparently identifies as a man but works in women’s clothing with a feminine gender presentation, starts questioning her, and then gets upset when the woman doesn’t want to give her straight answers.
“All I could think was, great, I’ve blown it,” Bein reports. “I pissed off the prostitute.” What awesome alliteration.
After harassing Skittles, apparently for at least an hour while she was trying to work, Bein and Skittles somehow become sort-of friends — or at least Skittles begins to tolerate her. But in the end, when Bein suggests they meet again to continue the conversation, Skittles says no — and I don’t blame her.
Bein ends by saying, “So we walked away, and that night taught me more than a class ever could” — except, maybe, a little bit of class.
This country is so puritanical…I wonder if LGBT issue will ever be free of sexualization.
Reminds me of the time, way back in college, that the college paper’s reporters did something and someone scathingly labelled it “sophomoric”. Which was when someone else pointed out that the reporters in question were sophomores.
Yes, this kid was clueless. But she tried, which at her age, and in her setting, is what we her to do, and we mainly set aside the question of success and praise the attempt … as we generally do, with children.
Grace
Here’s my response to the article I posted at The Alligator:
First, I have a major problem with this article in the way it’s presented and written.
Second, Ms. Bein approaches the topic with a major case of classism, in addition to a huge case of privilege.
Third, Ms. Bein sounds as if she’s shocked when a working girl doesn’t want to answer what she feels is intrusive questions from a snotty college kid.
This was a tough one for me because, as Grace points out, it is a school newspaper and these young people are trying to find their voice and take some risks.
But I also think that, if their goal is to become working journalists, they need to study up on the issues, areas, and people that they are writing about.
Like Marlene, I did think the tone and language was demeaning, and the expectation that a person would just stop working and happily talk to a college reporter was problematic.
I’ve had working reporters want to interview me, and it’s obvious that they didn’t crack a book on trans people before they called. Even though this is a student publication, I think it could have been handled way better.
I agree with both Matt & Marlene. Clearly, she should have done better, and you’ve both pointed out some ways in which that is true.
I think that I’m inclined to go easy on her because of the tone of her piece. She is clearly reflecting and trying to learn from her experience. I’ll take that any day over “Wtf? This tranny should be grateful that I’m providing a platform for her sorry ass to say something to my adoring public!” Or similar. Which is what we see a lot.
So I see it as a win, actually.
Almost because of its imperfections.
Skittles and her colleagues, of course, feel the impact more directly, and have more right to speak on the incident than I.
Grace