Quote:
Originally Posted by EnderD_503
A lot of ridiculous shit is being said in the media now. The article below is picking up on a trend in some media sources and blogs talking about this being a "racially motivated" hate crime. I am literally fuming right now and here is why (and posted this in the comments in site below as well):
a) calling this anything else than transphobia and even neglecting to call it transphobia (ie. "racially motivated") seems like they are covering up the severity and brutal reality of transphobia. b) it attempts to pit marginalized group against marginalized group instead of looking at it as cisgender women (or in other cases, cis people in general) assaulting a trans person solely because they are trans.
When is mainstream society going to take a good hard look at transphobia? It doesn't help that half of them don't even know what being transgender means. Homophobia is a term recognised in the mainstream, and I wish transphobia carried the same status as far as awareness of existence. The lack of awareness renders many transfolks invisible in these cases.
http://www.bilerico.com/2011/04/mcdo...ied_camera.php
*SNIP* |
Ender, I appreciate you posting updates as they came in.
I noticed in the first article the police said they would "upgrade" (my quotes), it to a hate crime if they found it to be racially motivated. It was said right on the heels of Equality Maryland speaking out (about her being trans...which DOESN'T relate...I remember thinking it strange that they put it in the same paragraph as Equality MD's statement).
In the State of MD hate crimes do not include gender identity. It does include race.
If upgraded to a hate crime the penalities are more severe. I would wonder that if it is upgraded, what is the police's motivation/reason for doing so?
1) because they want the suspects to get a stiffer sentence b/c they care about transpeople?
2) because the people in charge of making that decision are of a different race than African-American and are fueled by there own racism?
3) because it makes the police/state look good to apply the hate crime law?
4) because the police force/state gets something material out of calling it a hate crime (government money, other "bonuses"?)?
Don't know, but I doubt it is number one...