Another Murder
Megan Julca links several news stories about Sanesha Stewart’s murder. Belledame also has a good post on this.
Queen Emily and little light have posted about the murder as well.
Sanesha Stewart was a woman of color, so naturally the press portrays her as a prostitute (even if her neighbors do not). Naturally the press portrays her as a “man who dressed like a woman” (even though she’s not a man). Naturally, the press focuses on her height and the specific kinds of clothes she chose to wore (because she supposedly didn’t look like a woman, even though she was one, because her appearance is somehow relevant to the fact that she was stabbed to death). Naturally, the press gives her birth name because that’s totally relevant to the fact that she was murdered. And, naturally, the press implies that she was asking for it for daring to be trans and tricking a man into having sex with her – because, of course, no one would choose to have sex with a trans woman voluntarily, right? Because no one in the history of ever has knowingly had sex with a trans woman, killed her, and then used the deception excuse to get a lighter sentence, because people are stupid enough to believe that it’s okay to murder someone for violating gender boundaries?
Megan’s linked several articles in her post, check them all out. Imagine the response if a cis woman’s murder were filled with detailed discussion of her appearance and how it obviously contributed to her murder, as if her murderer’s reactions were instinctive and perhaps understandable? Imagine if a cis woman’s murder was presented as she deceived a man into thinking she was more attractive than she really was, and upon discovering that it was all makeup, plastic surgery, and a corset, he savagely stabbed her to death? What if she’d legally changed her name – would the press be sure to dig up her birthname for added sensationalism? Referred to her legal name as a “nickname?” What would be the response if news stories so thoroughly delegitimized and sensationalized a white cis woman’s identity while reporting her murder?
Just horrifying. I’ve found these news stories amazing, bewildering, thoroughly disturbing. Basically, murder *excused* because of who Sanesha Stewart was. I can just imagine how terrifying this must be for transgender youth, or anyone else who is currently contemplating coming out in such an intolerant climate. I believe the expression is, we’re going to make an example of you…
I can’t believe the discussion of her clothes.
:(
Daisy
February 11, 2008 at 3:23 pm
yep.
just a small note–the phrasing of your last paragraph, i found a tad confusing. it could be just because i’m lightheaded, but see what you think.
belledame2222
February 11, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Imagine if a cis woman’s murder was presented as she deceived a man into thinking she was more attractive than she really was, and upon discovering that it was all makeup, plastic surgery, and a corset, he savagely stabbed her to death? What if she’d legally changed her name – would the press be sure to dig up her birthname for added sensationalism? Referred to her legal name as a “nickname?” What would be the response if news stories so thoroughly delegitimized and sensationalized a white cis woman’s identity while reporting her murder?
I can see most of this happening to cis sex workers (of any variety). Though I think that the treatment of cis sex workers and trans* people (sex worker or not) are comparable on many counts — the public senses of superiority, disgust, judgment, the general acceptance of violence towards these individuals, the regular insistence that they are by definition mentally ill or sexually abused as a child. Come to think of it, this may be a partial explanation for the insistence that the victim was a prostitute, in addition to anti-trans* prejudice– she’s already socially unacceptable as a transwoman, but even more so as a sex worker. And the more unacceptable you make her, the less queasy your average person gets to feel about the media coverage and the fact that we either explicitly or implicitly condone her murder.
That was clearly a bit of a rant. But all of this is disgusting, no matter what way you slice it.
Cara
February 11, 2008 at 4:33 pm
You’re right, sex workers in general are treated poorly by the press, and Judge Deni’s “theft of services decision” last year was truly disgusting.
But as you also point out how all of this is piled on to make things worse when reporting a trans woman’s murder. AP guidelines were changed to discourage this kind of coverage, but that clearly did little.
Lisa Harney
February 11, 2008 at 4:40 pm
“Come to think of it, this may be a partial explanation for the insistence that the victim was a prostitute, in addition to anti-trans* prejudice– she’s already socially unacceptable as a transwoman, but even more so as a sex worker. And the more unacceptable you make her, the less queasy your average person gets to feel about the media coverage and the fact that we either explicitly or implicitly condone her murder.”
Yes.
belledame2222
February 11, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Wow. That’s such an obvious case of fishy reporting of the truth there. On one hand they make sure everybody absolutely gets it beyond any shadow of a doubt that she was 6 feet tall and wore enormous high heels and that everyone knew she was trans and on the other hand, she was this totally deceptive trap that fooled the guy into thinking she was a woman?
That just does not compute there.
Btw, “I thought you were a woman” is excuse numero uno to get out of having sex with a tg sex worker when you realise you don’t like what she got or that she don’t do what you were looking for.
That’s not to say I saw anything to indicate that the girl was actually a sex worker. Except for the fact that she had a big heart. But maybe I’m just being romantic. ::shrugh::
Stassa
February 12, 2008 at 9:04 am
> Wow. That’s such an obvious case of fishy reporting of the truth there. On one hand they make sure everybody absolutely gets it beyond any shadow of a doubt that she was 6 feet tall and wore enormous high heels and that everyone knew she was trans and on the other hand, she was this totally deceptive trap that fooled the guy into thinking she was a woman?
The same kind of dissonance appears in reports of the Gwen Araujo incident. We are told that her muderers had sex with her, and only later discovered that she was trans… as if real life followed the plot of M Butterfly.
It’s pretty clear that in Gwen’s case, she was executed to save face. The person who screwed her was probably faced down by someone who accused him of being a fag for having done so, and had to feign shock and outrage in order to keep his own standing.
gorgonqueen
February 12, 2008 at 10:26 am
[...] Lisa Harney talks about the different treatment of trans women and I have to quote a lot of this because it’s good: Imagine the response if a cis woman’s murder were filled with detailed discussion of her appearance and how it obviously contributed to her murder, as if her murderer’s reactions were instinctive and perhaps understandable? Imagine if a cis woman’s murder was presented as she deceived a man into thinking she was more attractive than she really was, and upon discovering that it was all makeup, plastic surgery, and a corset, he savagely stabbed her to death? What if she’d legally changed her name – would the press be sure to dig up her birthname for added sensationalism? Referred to her legal name as a “nickname?” What would be the response if news stories so thoroughly delegitimized and sensationalized a white cis woman’s identity while reporting her murder? [...]
Feministe » Sanesha Stewart is dead and I have only tears and frustration for her
February 12, 2008 at 3:17 pm
[...] first was the murder of another trans woman of color, Sanesha Stewart. And, as always, the “news” coverage of her murder was [...]
Detransitioning? « Galling Galla
February 12, 2008 at 8:00 pm
[...] Julca has extensive links to other media coverage. Lisa Harney discusses how cissexual women would rarely receive this kind of treatment. Belldame writes angrily [...]
On the murder of Sanesha Stewart : The Curvature
February 13, 2008 at 7:56 am
[...] Lisa looks at how media representation creates the justification of violence against transpeople: Sanesha Stewart was a woman of color, so naturally the press portrays her as a prostitute (even if her neighbors do not). Naturally the press portrays her as a “man who dressed like a woman” (even though she’s not a man). Naturally, the press focuses on her height and the specific kinds of clothes she chose to wore (because she supposedly didn’t look like a woman, even though she was one, because her appearance is somehow relevant to the fact that she was stabbed to death). Naturally, the press gives her birth name because that’s totally relevant to the fact that she was murdered. And, naturally, the press implies that she was asking for it for daring to be trans and tricking a man into having sex with her – because, of course, no one would choose to have sex with a trans woman voluntarily, right? [...]
La Chola » Blog Archive » Links and more
February 13, 2008 at 8:02 am
It goes without saying that this nightmare of a murder is inexcusable, cowardly, and callous. The killer’s cynical trans-panic defense after the fact is beyond disgusting. The mix of racism, misogyny, and transphobia poisoning the media’s response to this crime against a woman of color is atrocious beyond measure. It all goes without saying.
But what makes me truly hopeless here is the massive ignorance about the reality of this woman’s life, from police, from neighbors, and friends. To quote neighbor Steve Bamberg: “I called him ‘her’ out of respect.” Great, so you were respectful just to spare her feelings. Is unconditional affirmation of a person’s humanity too much to expect? Damn.
May Sanesha rest in peace. My heart goes out to her friends and family.
Yolanda C.
February 13, 2008 at 1:48 pm
[...] have already been blogging up a storm, including Megan Julca, Lisa Harney, The Curvature, Belledame, GallingGalla, and Holly over at Feministe, who gives a good overview, [...]
JVoices » Blog Archive » Putting Lantos’ Support In Focus: The Murder of Sanesha Stewart
February 14, 2008 at 8:21 am
[...] have already been blogging up a storm, including Megan Julca, Lisa Harney, The Curvature, Belledame, GallingGalla, and Holly over at Feministe, who gives a good overview, [...]
jspot » Blog Archive » Putting Lantos’ Support In Focus: The Murder of Sanesha Stewart
February 14, 2008 at 8:22 am
Hi, i am a newcomer to your blog and appreciate your commentaries.
I find all these increasing cases of transgenders being murdered disturbing. We have the same brutal violence in Asia, but a very large portion of it are never reported.
My concerns also lie in recent murders of transgender youths. When it reaches this stage, some things need to be done. And with the media continuously depicting negative representation again and again to justify that ‘transgenders deserve it’, common sense needs to prevail in the end. These are people’s lives we are talking about. And DEATH. What becomes of civilization if society fails to recognize that?
Yuki Choe
March 2, 2008 at 5:50 am
This is one of the questions I wish I could force people to answer. “Why are trans people’s lives worth less than cis people’s lives?” but of course, no one sees it that way, even as they say “Well, she probably tricked him into thinking she was a real woman, so her brutal murder is understandable and possibly even excusable.”
It’s beyond frustrating. :(
Lisa Harney
March 2, 2008 at 6:09 am
I also had no idea how bad things are in Asia because – as you say – it’s often never reported. There’s something fundamentally broken here. :(
Lisa Harney
March 2, 2008 at 6:26 am
I don’t know if it is the good place to do so, but there was also the murder of a trans woman at the end of february in Portugal, the association “Panteras rosa” calls for international action and gives more inforamtion.
I won’t copy/paste the full communication of the association (it’s quite long), I relayed it in english on my blog : http://red.reveries.info/post/2008/03/13/Transsexual-woman-found-murdered-in-Portugal-%3A-call-for-action , it is also available in other languages here : http://20six.fr/trans-ftm-gay/art/40520535/
I’m sorry if that’s a bit spam, but it’s for the cause :)
Elly
March 16, 2008 at 8:56 am
[...] notably (but not only) used in the trials following the murders of Brandon Teena, Gwen Araujo and Sanesha Stewart, to name but [...]
Day of Silence « Questioning Transphobia
April 24, 2008 at 7:51 pm
[...] notably (but not only) used in the trials following the murders of Brandon Teena, Gwen Araujo and Sanesha Stewart, to name but [...]
Day of Silence « bird of paradox
May 5, 2008 at 2:53 am
[...] passing convincingly can be literally a matter of survival: think of Brandon Teena, Gwen Araujo, Sanesha Stewart and many others. Conforming to society’s expectations of those who it has labelled as ‘male’ [...]
Do not pass Go « bird of paradox
June 3, 2008 at 7:25 am
[...] sexually insatiable — hence all of the excuses about how they just can’t be raped, and they’re all prostitutes (because no prostitute ever did her job because of financial necessity, they’re all in it for [...]
“Not In My Shower” : The Curvature
August 11, 2008 at 11:29 am