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Resplendent in pink wig and PVC dress, a tranny wins the UK contest. See link below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11662754
Sadly the BBC were the only media who used female pronouns, even the Guardian and the Independent described her as him.
Angharad.
Comments
Odd for the Grauniad
They are normally a bit more alert to these things. It might be interesting to see what their comments section is like. In the meantime, here are some other headlines I spotted:
"Pervert wins scrabble championship. House prices set to fall"--Daily Mail
"Was this pervert the one in the white car when Princess Di was murdered?"--Express
"Gender Bender Stunner Once Saw Wayne Rooney!"--Sun
"Traditonal Game Shamed. Special report and pictures pages 4-9"---Telegraph
Indy
Having read mittfh's parallel post, I followed his link to the Indy and Grauniad ones. The Grauniad has no comments, but the Indy is taken to task quite well, despite someone confusing gender and sexuality. There is one comment, though, which insists that because she has had no surgery, it is correct to refer to her as male.
Oh **** off.
You'd think
that a copywriter for a rag would at least use a dictionary (on second thoughts, maybe you wouldn't). My dictionary defines a pervert as 'one who engages in unnatural sexual acts.' Do they have proof of said acts and, if not, is it an actionable accusation?
Why let the truth get in the way of a story which might increase sales to the more gullible members of society?
S.
"Chosen To Attract Attention"
A comment on her attire.
And why not? I think she looks lovely. Anyway, what's it got to do with her intellect?
Joanne
Certainly A Character
Mikki is certainly an interesting person. Has anyone seen an interview with Mikki, or done any research on background, web-presence, blogs or anything?
I found this:
and this:
a mention in passing in a scrabble yahoogroup, wherein the poster reports a BBC breakfast show reported Mikki as being a transvestite (crossdresser): http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/uk-scrabble/message/74248
a brief interview with the principal on Youtube last year: http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=Em5ai0YtmD0
and, an in-depth print interview October 31, 2009, exactly one year prior to the championship: http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/features/people/carlisle_man_ai...
I've yet to find any evidence that anyone has publicly asked Mikki which pronouns she/he prefers or what his or her gender identity is. Let's not forget the third possibility, that Mikki feels like and prefers to present as "gender-queer."
Soooo... As far as I can tell, it may be presently unknown to us as to whether calling her a him is actually "dissing" her, err... him, err... zie, err... hir. But, certainly describing Mikki as a transgender* scrabble genius would be appropriate, with emphasis on the "genius."
___________________
* A broadly defined word covering all** instances of non-vanilla gender, including the more specific "transsexual."
** Except intersex, which is a specific group of medical conditions.
It's such a shame
that many languages, including English, are so hidebound by a binary view of humanity, yet creation is far more diverse. Societies decree that people are either male or female; there is no scope for variation from this.
I know of at least one person who has been fighting for years for the right to be un-gendered, and known as such.
S.