transgendered quandary

[Teresa Schmedding]

We had a story last week on someone murdered in a motel. Neighbors referred to the victim as a she; police said it was a man. The reporter even went on to describe the victim as slender white woman with reddish-brown hair.

I took those references out and went with the gender the police had. I might have made a different call if we talked to the victim's family. It's a fairly transient area and for all I knew, the person was a female impersonator or maybe just a cross-dresser.

Am I right in thinking that the gender you use depends on how the person lived their life even if there hadn't been an operation? Or should it be what's on his/her birth certificate?

Teresa

[Jim Thomsen]

Since we regularly honor celebrities' chosen names over their birth names — even though in many cases they've never been legally changed — I think we should stay consistent with the rule that people get to be in print whatever or whoever they decide they are.

Either that, or we need to correct every Web reference in our papers' archives to Cherilyn Sarkisian (Cher) and Madonna Veronica Louise Ciccone (Madonna).

[lizmcgehee]

I know that NLGJA put out a style guide on various issues related to LBGT issues. Don't know if it has that specific question on it, but that would be a good group to check with. We had a similar quandary at The Post about a transgendered person who was killed a year or so ago. I don't recall how the paper ended up referring to this person, but my vote would be to go with how the person identifies himself or herself. If a male but id's as a female, refer to as she/her. If a female but id's self as male, refer to as he/him.

[Teresa Schmedding]

I'd agree it makes sense to use the gender that fits how a person lived his or her life. It's just going to be weird when we switch gender, which I suspect we'll have to do sometimes when it comes to light later.

[Gatekeeper]

Hmm. I believe AP style is to refer to the person using the sex s/he identifies him/herself with.

With regard to the opening post, I think you made the right call. Short of being able to contact family, the police report is the next best source.

Gatekeeper

-30-

[cityslot]

AP says to use the pronoun preferred by a subject who has "acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex" or presents himself or herself in a way that does not correspond with the sex determined at birth. But it also says that if the preference is not expressed to go with the pronoun that's consistent with how the person lives publicly. So I guess I would think the neghbors would know more than the police. Plus, a lot of transsexuals aren't close with their families, so I would urge caution in relying too heavily on relatives. Mom might say he's a guy, no matter what the neighbors say, but that might be directly contrary to the subject's wishes. I guess my choice would be to write what the police have said but to base my pronouns, etc., on what their neighbors say if they appear to be in the know. Not an easy call, in any case