Media Influence

Media Influence in a Transgender Society

Ashley Arteaga
RWS 1302

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Abstract
According to Aaron McQuade, Director of Media for Glaad.org, We have a lot of work
to do all of us when it comes to educating each other about what it means to be transgender.
In the Article Ignorance of Transgender Issues Apparent in Media, He then writes that society
has a long way to go when it comes to being more educated about Transsexual issues. This study
focused on the issue of Medias Portrayal in a Transgender Society. A survey was conducted that
asked the takers basic questions as to what their knowledge was of various Transgender
questions. Out of a total of 73 survey takers the majority knew what Transgender meant. When
asked the question, Can you name a Transgender person on TV or Internet? All but two
participants named someone, whether it was from a personal experience or from someone they
had seen or heard of from somewhere on TV or the Internet. The point that these researchers
were trying to come across was that of how these people knew of that person and what source
introduced them.

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A Current issue that has been getting attention on Popular TV Shows as well as Internet
Gossip Magazines is that of Transgender Actors and Actresses. More and more actors and
actresses are playing their true selves openly. Whether the case may be that this was their first
role on television or whether they are a veteran to that role, the case may be that the vast amount
of people getting more comfortable is becoming more influential on more people coming out.
Does the Media have any influence on how Transgender issues are portrayed? Some people say
that some Media sites arent fully educating people on the true meaning of what transsexual
really means. According to Misty Lee, a 12 year Transsexual, more Media sites need to be more
educated on what the issue on hand is. There need to be more facilities or more information on
Transgender issues. If there is anything that people can do where do they start?
A high school teacher in Alabama hopes to open up the first LGBT School for students
who are dealing with Transsexual feelings. Whether they were born male or female and want to
become the opposite, this school will become a place where students can express themselves and
they wont feel so isolated, one of which leads to greater issues like suicide. This school would
be a place for these students to express themselves instead of them feeling like they cant talk to
anyone if they are feeling lonely. In this school, they will be constantly writing in online journals
expressing their feelings and using that as research to better understand how to deal with current
or future issues with Transsexuals. Because of the seriousness of this uprising issue the following
questions are being addressed to better educate as well as help to gather more information to get
a better understanding of what is happening.
1. Are there any major factors as to why Transgender people commit suicide?
2. Are Transgender people more likely to encounter discrimination?
3. Has the media played any role in informing Transgender issues?

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Are there any major factors as to why Transgender people commit suicide?
One of the main factors of people getting harassed is mainly the fact that everyone is
connected to some sort of social media at the moment. YouTube, a very popular search engine
can be the next best site for something to go viral. From spoof videos to national news if
something entertaining happens, more than likely it will be posted up somewhere. In an article in
the Las Vegas Journal (2011), People are in constant fear of Violence. This article starts off by a
women and with a teenage daughter beating up a transgender in the womens restroom of a Mc
Donalds in Baltimore. Among the bystanders to step in when that person was getting beat up an
older lady got punched while trying to stop the beating. All in all a Mc Donalds employee was
fired for not stopping the fight. The employee then went on to post the fight on YouTube where
he titled it Two Girls beating up a Man/Lady at McDonalds. YouTube has become the new
Cyberbully website. Instead of helping out the person that was getting publically beaten the Mc
Donalds employee sat aside and instead opted out for recording it and letting others see this
brutality and make fun of it. Transgender brutality doesnt just start by name calling. It can be
both physical and emotional. It has come to the point where people are being turned away from
places which causes that person to become depressed and lonely. They dont feel safe anymore or
they feel like they arent who they want to be.
When a person doesnt feel like themselves they feel like everyone is out to get them.
Meanwhile a Nevada Resort Association is trying to pass a law that stops discrimination in work
as well as in housing projects. They (NVR) is trying to pass a Full anti harassing project which
will make transgender people not fear for their safety anymore. Some Transgender people were
being harassed when it came down to purchasing a house or even renting apartments. Some had
to hide their true selves in order for them to be able to go about their lives. Stephanie Antoniuk

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whom calls herself the lucky one says that sometimes people have to stay away from places
that they know can be dangerous and are not adapting to change. Stephanie believes that
sometimes pride has to be put aside and do whats safer. Even if a lifestyle change has to be done
they feel like they are taking steps back on her Transgender Progress. There is a time and a place
for everything. She has to ensure her safety. Yes, she also wants to feel comfortable in her own
skin but she also does not want to live in constant fear that if she acts or dresses or looks like
someone that a person doesnt approve on that can possibly lead to suicidal problems. Living in
constant fear can lead to major problems with that person, they dont feel like they belong
anywhere. This is where the sex changes come into play. Most people dont believe that they are
truly Transgender until they do the full Gender Transformation.
In article written by Dr. Paul R. McHugh, A former psychiatrist-in-chief from Johns
Hopkins Hospitals says that transgender is a sort of mental disorder. Dr. Paul believes that a sex
change is biologically impossible and if you promote sexual reassignment surgery you are
promoting yourself as having a mental disorder. This sex change can lead to many emotional
problems that will eventually lead to suicidal thoughts. When a man or a woman get a sex
change that they are not actually getting a sex change, they are just becoming more masculine or
more feminine. Due to the fact that you have this mental disorder, leads to greater suicide rates in
transgender beings. Because a person is not happy with the way they look or they may think that
they are too fat or too skinny these people will actually start to think that nobody likes them and
they will start isolating themselves from others and hence comes the stereotypical outlier
syndrome, in which a Transgender tends to be isolated from everyone right before that
Transsexual takes their life. Dr. Paul He thinks that it is sad that people are always wanting more

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and wanting more. People do not get satisfied with what they see right in front of them every
day.
Are Transgender people more likely to encounter Discrimination?
When people arent happy with their image their self-esteem starts to diminish.
Discrimination becomes a huge impact on peoples lives. A survey done at the National Center
for Transgender Equality, shows the different discriminations a transgender person goes through.
They ask questions that talk about the injustice in their lives from their jobs to where they live.
Due to these discriminations the survey found that these people were living in poverty or they
refuse to give transgender individuals homes or apartments because of what they are. As
mentioned before a new law is coming into effect that shows that transgender people are not to
be discriminated through any housing laws. Most people then go on and explain how by being
discriminated by various tenants they are not being able to find a place to call home, which then
leads to homelessness. Discrimination ranges from children to adults in different levels at school
and even at work. Not getting that promotion or getting fired unfairly. People stay in the same
work position because of what they were and they were not able to advance their career. Some
people were then asked if they were sexually harassed or harassed in general. Some cases show
that people are sexually harassed or abused from people whom they worked for so that they can
get a raise or even a higher position. Others explained that during the process of trying to find a
place to live, those tenants would then ask them for sexual favors in order to receive that
apartment or house. Not only is their discrimination in a work place and living environment,
discrimination can also be found in hospitals too.

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Educating doctors as well as hospital personnel is another thing Transgender people then
go on to explain about when they go to an Emergency Room. At the University Of Louisville
School Of Medicine they are training doctors to be better equipped at any Transgender situation.
The Equality Project is best used to fill in the gap of missing information that they need in
order to better understand LGBT cases and to make sure they get the best possible care they can
possibly receive. Nowadays if a Transgender goes into a hospital the Doctor has to go through
any medical background. What the University is doing is trying to make Transgender people feel
more comfortable at the Medical Center and hope that they can give the correct amount of
attention that the person need. The best possible care that they believe they will receive is
moving a step up in the direction for growth. While some people are going forward in the
direction of growing and learning in Transsexual society others dont allow it into their lives.
Unlike the Medical Center who wanted to progress with health issues and information
about transgender at Alcanes High School in California a parent was outraged at the fact that
their child was forced out of their belief systems and their Conservative Christian Families by
making them come out of their comfort zones. When a LGBT group spoke to that class with
where the student was, the questions that were asked was if they have ever experienced any
feelings that are thought to be Transsexual. The group spoke in an English Class and pushed their
feelings and views of Gay and Lesbian issues to 14 and 15 year olds. When those children didnt
agree with the instructors activity, they were publically shamed by their peers in the classroom
and were shunned from any more activities. Discrimination not only happens between children
but it also happens between adults to. If they do not agree how a child is acting they treat that
child differently. Parents were outraged that they were forcing these activities on their children
and their children did not agree with their tactics. They believed it was going against any of their

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religious beliefs and it should not be talked about in school. Instead of educating kids they were
isolating children. Other parents believed that something so serious like this topic should not be
forced upon them if they are not comfortable with it. If students wanted to learn more about
Transgender issues they can always look up any information that they find relating to the topic at
hand but sometimes does the media misinterpret what is really going on?
Has the Media played any role in informing Transgender issues?
When it comes to Transgender issues is there an imaginary line that people are not
supposed to cross? If there is an imaginary line which side do most people stand on? When you
read a tabloid do you believe what that writer says 100% or are you that person that already
knows that everything you hear and see on tabloids and social media sites is for entertainment?
According to Variety Magazine, when the famous Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce
Jenner made his speech at the Espy awards for receiving the Arthur Ash Award for Courage 10
million people sat down and watched the show. It goes to show that Caitlyn speech went viral.
His show I am Cait, racked up 2.5 million viewers. His influence on the younger generation is
incredible according to E, a gossip website and magazine. Not only is he trying to make a
difference but in his show he has children and adults telling their sides of their Transitions. He is
letting their voices be heard with his show. That is what he is all about is making a change in the
Transgender world. So what is being done that Caitlyn Jenner has influenced.
Caitlyn Jenners Influence has really helped out the children who attend Camp Aranutiq
or those who are interested in attending this camp. It is a place where children go and are able to
express themselves in an environment that everyone feels safe and comfortable in. Laverne Cox
unlike Caitlyn Jenner did not openly come out in an interview but is portraying herself in a show

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called Orange is the New Black. In this show she shows the struggles she goes through with
the guards and how they discriminate her and refer to her as He-Man as well as the ladies who
try and physically beat her to try and see if she actually got the proper surgery done. It is with
those issues that Laverne goes through that she tells her viewers that she learns from them and
hopes everyone else will be educated as well.
While Caitlyn and Laverne are trying to better educate people about Transgender issues
some feel as though they shouldnt be publically displaying what they are on the TV and on
social media for everyone to see. A church in the state of Kentucky, is attempting to ban and
media sources that allows people to express themselves in an openly Transgender way. They do
not allow the people to openly talk or discuss amongst themselves about any Sinful issues that
are church like. These people truly believe that schools or camps that allow LGBT people in to
them are an abomination. This congregation does not believe that people should be informed of
these issues that are not viewed in the eyes of God.
Although some say that the Media helps other people to tell their stories, others believe
that they can to too involved in peoples lives. When you are constantly under the spotlight a
persons moves are constantly being watched. Most people say that the stuff that comes out on
the news or Media is inaccurate so a person cant help but not pay attention. In the UK they
conducted a questionnaire that asked people how they felt about different issues with the media.
They asked those people from what channels they received to how often the Transgender Society
was being portrayed. Almost 75% of the people taking the survey believed that the site or was
not showing the accuracy of what the issue at hand was. A major factor these people also
addressed was that of Transgender people being looked as a Social Outlier, in which as stated
was not getting how a Transsexual person really acted or was.

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In a recent Transgender survey performed by a student at the University Of Texas at El

Paso, 73 people participated and were asked questions to determine their knowledge of what a
Transgender person was. Out of those 73 people only one person answered that they did not
know what Transgender meant. When asked the question if they knew any who was Transgender
39.7% of the participants answered yes to that question with the remaining 60.27% to answer no.
Participants were then asked if having not known this person was Transgender does it change the
way you feel about that particular person. Out of the 73 participants 18.1% answered yes, it does
affect how they feel about that particular person. The survey then asked the participants if they
could name a famous person on the TV or the Internet that was Transgender. Of those, 22.54% of
the people answered no, they did not know anyone whom is Transgender, the remaining 77.46%
answered yes. The participants who answered yes were then asked to give the name of the
Transgender person. The answers varied from Caitlyn Jenner, to Laverne Cox to Chaz Bono
whom are all Television stars. The main purpose of the survey was to see if out of those 73
participants that knew a Transgender person, how many of them knew or heard about them all
because of Social Media or Television. The results that were found were that only two
participants skipped the response portion of the question. The majority of the participants
answered No, to without Media influences how they know of that person. The remaining
participants know of a person in their life who is transgender and that is how they know of that
transgender person.

Conclusion

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In Conclusion, this Literature Review is only a small part of the many studies that are out
there in society and continue to change with time. No one study stays the same, there is always
someone out there that is going to come up with more information from Transgender issues. With
all the Technology that is coming out in society there is no doubt that this is but a small bump in
the information train. Researchers are learning as they go along. The Media Influence on these
issues will provide a platform on how it is contributing to the growing society that is
Transgender. These questions will help out and add to the growing information that is already out
there. From suicide attempts to discrimination that Transgender people may encounter to how the
media influences such peoples lives.

Citations

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Arteaga, A. (2015) Transgender Survey.

Retrieved from Surveymonkey.com
Coffman, B. (2015). Health Professionals to train in Transgender Care.
Retrieved from Louisville.edu
Grant, J., Mottel, L., Tanis, J. (2011). Injustice at Every Turn.
Retrieved from Transequality.org.
Jarvie, J. (2015). Teacher hope Southeasts first LGBT School will be haven.
Retrieved from LosAngelesTimes.com
Mc Murdo, D. (2011). Fear of Violence always on mind of Trans People.
Retrieved from LasVegasJournal.org
Mc Quade, A. (2015).Ignorance of Transgender issues apparent in Media.
Retrieved from Glaad.org.
Pasulka, N. (2014). How Bad Media Coverage Makes things worse for the
Transgender victims of violence.
Retrieved from Takepart.com.
Starnes, T. (2015). Students opposed to LGBT Agenda shamed in classroom.
Retrieved from Charismanews.com
TransEquality (2015). Fair Housing and Transgender People.
Retrieved from Transequality .org.
TransMedia (2010). How Transgender people Experience the Media. Retrieved from
Transmediawatch.org