Supporting Transgenderism in Sportswriting
by Suzanne Reisman

A few weeks ago, my husband asked me if I had heard about the LA Times sportswriter who announced that he was undergoing a sex change.

“Of course I haven’t heard about it!” I said. I’m always the last to hear about anything, and I don’t closely follow sports. “How are people reacting?”

Happily (surprisingly?), the reaction is supportive. As Michael David Smith wrote at the AOL Sports Blog:

The news that Los Angeles Times sports writer Mike Penner is a transsexual who will soon begin writing under the byline Christine Daniels is a good opportunity to note that transsexuals are part of every segment of society and every occupation. In fact, Penner is not the only transsexual sports writer in America.

Christina Kahrl has worked on all 12 editions of the annual book Baseball Prospectus. In most of those editions Kahrl was a man writing under the name Chris Kahrl, but two years ago she changed her byline when she changed her gender.
"Nobody has batted an eye," Kahrl said at the time. "Everybody has been great and supportive."

That's a good sign. Simply by living their lives, Kahrl and Penner are helping to make us a more open-minded society.

Blogger Jackie Danicki calls Penner “a class act.” At Tampa Forums, JonNoH asks, “…how many of you would have the cojones to come out like this to the sports world?” Bad joke, but still a good point. Self-described “sports obsessed hick” Neate Sager at Out of Left Field warmed my heart with this thought:

Like myself, you might not know much about transsexualism, but the least one can do is try to understand. The writer's final column penned as Mike Penner even expressed hope that no longer being conflicted over sexuality might lead to fewer breakouts of writer's block at deadline. So don't dismiss it or laugh it at out of hand -- the sensible thing seems to be wish the future Christine Daniels good luck. Life is hard enough without people going around slapping labels on someone and focusing on one element of their makeup instead of what they can do. To be honest, just the thought of the future Christine Daniels appearing on CNN with the on-screen graphic "transsexual sportswriter" is irritating enough since obviously this individual is so much more than that, but some people won't be able to get past the label.

One thing that nags at my mind, though, is how the story is spun. ESPN wrote that Penner said that his brain is "wired female,” which honestly makes me cringe a bit. Not because I think it is wrong to feel that your sex and gender don’t match, but that it always winds up being played out in a way that reinforces stereotypes of what being “female” and “male” mean. (I’m just curious to know what a female wired brain is because you can ask 1,000 different people and get 4,000 different answers.)

Our society is too limited – and accordingly provides the narrowest of frameworks to express ourselves – to let people just be who they are without forcing them into a box. Perhaps switching boxes allows someone to be more comfortable, which is good, but at the end of the day, it is still a box. I think we'd all benefit from a world where brains are no more gendered than bodies.

Suzanne also blogs at Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS) & Other Rants

Submitted by Suzanne Reisman (view blog) on Thu, 05/10/2007 - 17:05

Comments

 

"Dropping His Ball's," equates to unkind
Unprogressive Thinking

Dear Suzanne ~

My suggestion, before you write anything related to those of us who are Transgender, would be to thoroughly research the topic.
Sensitizing, Understanding, & Respecting Gender Identity as part of Diversity Education would be a great place to start.
This is a very serious, and occasionaly fatal topic for those journeying through Transition, & should not be thought of as a venue for Jest, or Humor.

You said, "Not because I think it is wrong to feel that your sex and gender don’t match, but that it always winds up being played out in a way that reinforces stereotypes of what being “female” and “male” mean. (I’m just curious to know what a female wired brain is because you can ask 1,000 different people and get 4,000 different answers.)"

"Sex" & "Gender" are exactly the same.
They are not two separate entities.
Basically, it's common confusion of semantics.
Usually, most people need to have a more definitive answer to the question, "What is the difference between Gender & Sexual Orientation?"

When an application asks an individual their "Sex," I recommend they put down, "As much as possible."

The biological factors, all point to a variable distribution of hormones to the brain, while the fetus is still in utero.

Hence, the amount of a Female/Male ratio of the hormonal wash over the brain, in effect, “Hard Wires” the human brain as either “Male,”
“Female,” or Gender Variant.

The Gender Variance, is usually characterized by being born Gay, Lesbian, BiSexual, or identifiable, under the numerous sub-headings under the Transgender umbrella.

The only acceptance to this biological circumstance, is that of the Intersexed child.
A child born with the characteristic genitalia of both Male & Female, needs to grow into maturity, before any decisions are made to alter the genitalia,
one way or another.
The child, will eventually determine themselves, how they gender identify.

Under NO circumstances, should a Doctor, or Surgeon, make a decision for the parents, nor try to convince either of them, that “It be best for the child!”
Doing so, is completely unethical, and extremely dangerous, for the health, & well being of any Intersexed infant.

No one “Chooses” to be either/or, it’s a matter of the numerous anomalies in Humans, & Nature, due to the mysteries of the brain.

Peace, & Equality, ~
~Mekah Gordon, PhD, L. E.~

Human Rights Advocate/Activist - Consummate Optimist & Visionary - Educator/Consultant - Freelance Writer-TG Issues - Regional Editor of Santa Fe/For The Normal Heart Newspaper - Recipient, of the prestige's, "2007 Commitment to Care Award" from the Alliance for Gender Awareness - Full membership World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Formerly known as the Harry Benjamin Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA) - Pioneering, Frontier Renaissance Woman.

Founder/Director ~
S. U. R. E. Foundation®

22 Juego Rd.
Santa Fe, NM 87508-4298
USA
505-466-4277
SUREducation@aol.com

*In order to achieve the same rights, without compromise, there are NO other options, than Unequivocal Equality.
~ Mekah Gordon

*The word, "Tolerance," no matter how you bend it, twist it, or turn it inside out,"Reeks" of Discrimination.
"RESPECT," however, eradicates implicitness for bigotry, hate, prejudice, and judgment.
~Mekah Gordon

*No One on this planet, should ever have, or be granted the power, right, nor stand in judgment, of anyone's Basic Human Civil Rights, by enforcing through Constitutional Decree, or otherwise, whom one should love, and marry, NO ONE!
~Mekah Gordon

*It's the Tenacity, Persistence, Fortitude, & Faith, that's perennial, in those of us, who refuse to give up, in our pursuit for Equality, & Basic Human Civil Rights.
~Mekah Gordon

*Transitionally Speaking: Quotes, From a Pioneering, Frontier Renaissance Woman
© 2007 Mekah Gordon, All Rights Reserved

Submitted by Mekah Gordon PhD L. E. on Thu, 05/10/2007 - 21:40
 

Appalled

I was appalled to see this headline appear in my inbox. Although the tone of the article is generally sympathetic, I found the headline, intended I assume as a joke, very offensive.

There is some evidence of differences between male and female brains, though I consider the evidence inconclusive. See recent research from UCLA at http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2007/05/research-suggests-that-sexual-ide...

Dr. Jillian Todd Weiss
http://transworkplace.blogspot.com

Submitted by drjillygirl on Fri, 05/11/2007 - 04:16
 

Title change

Based on the above two comments, I changed the title from what I had hoped people would take as a pun not meant to offend (although I knew that it possibly would) to something blander.

Suzanne, BlogHer Contributing Editor - Feminsim & Gender
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS)& Other Rants

Submitted by Suzanne Reisman on Fri, 05/11/2007 - 06:31
 

"Punny" about Transpeople

This is a little off topic, but I really dislike "punny" headlines that deal with minority groups. Would one write a story with the headline "Black Gets Sacked," "Sports: Gay Play Not Paid," or "Handicap Crap?"

I hate headlines with titles like "Gender Blender" or "Sex Swap Cop Got Me The Chop." Even if done in a "light," "punny" manner, it seems somewhat thoughtless to take a serious story and mildly mock the person at the center of the story for a characteristic associated with their minority status.

Submitted by Autumn59 on Fri, 05/11/2007 - 13:36
 

Mea culpa

I often title mu posts with puns or other sarcastic remarks (and my posts are almost always about women, who are generally "granted" minority status). I believe that humor can be a good way to approach sensitive topics. In this instance, however, I clearly had a lapse in judgment. I appreciate that my thoughtless error was immediately called to task, and this I changed the title of the post to something more appropriate.

I am sorry that the original title detracted from the content of the post itself. My goal was to present support for Ms. Daniels and a comment on how great it is that sports bloggers tend to accept her. In addition, I hoped to open a broader discussion about how gender identity and stereotypes are often closely linked due to the restrictive opportunities people are permitted with which to express themselves. This is a topic that truly interests me, and I sincerely regret my lack of decor around the original title.

Suzanne, BlogHer Contributing Editor - Feminsim & Gender
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS)& Other Rants

Submitted by Suzanne Reisman on Fri, 05/11/2007 - 18:36
 

don't change!

I never heard anything about this story -- thanks for sharing it. I wish people could just be judged by their abilities... oh well.

And as for people being offended by the original title -- I wasn't at all. The complainers *don't* speak for everyone, Suzanne.

<><><><><><><>
Jayne Cravens
http://www.coyotecommunications.com

Submitted by jcravens on Fri, 05/18/2007 - 08:59
 

Thanks

Thanks for sharing the story with us. I thought, from reading a lot of hardcore sports bloggers, it's remarkable that the vast majority of individuals I've been in contact with have supported Christine in her choice. That, to me , is the crux of this story.
But I do see what you mean regarding the reenforcement of male and female norms. But to me the reality that an individual should live however they feel most comfortable supersedes that debate for now. It's a battle we'll be fighting for quite some time.

Link Play on Words: More than just a play by play

Submitted by jmsw8d on Wed, 05/23/2007 - 17:17