Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Your Point In This Misgendering Kara Article Is?

While perusing the Net for some interesting stories to comment on, I stumbled across this one about Kara Nicole Hays, the 26 year old trans Britney Spears fan who has spent $70,000 in surgeries, hormones, et cetera to look like the pop singer.   

Kara asserts in the NY Daily News article she hasn't had any work on her face because she fortunately resembles Spears.

While I have more productive uses for $70,000 if I were blessed to get that kind of money to stick in my bank account, if it makes her happy to look like Britney, I ain't mad at Kara for living her life to the best of her ability.   But what I didn't appreciate along with the transphobic remarks in the comment sections was the misgendering of  Kara.   

But then again I long ago ceased to expect quality journalism about #girlslikeus in a town with a tabloid in the New York Post that routinely stoops to the ignorant common denominator when it comes to writing about our trans lives.  The paper of record in the NY Times isn't much better lately when it comes to writing about trans people and now here comes the NY Daily News in the misgendering sweepstakes.. 

That doesn't mean I'll give up the fight to have journalists live up to the AP Stylebook standards when it comes to reporting and writing about transpeople and insisting they be followed to the letter

That's a nice segue into me calling out the author of this piece, Lindsay Goldwert.  
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Yo Lindsay, a 'transgender man'  is a transman.  Kara is a 'transgender woman' or transwoman.  The title of the article you wrote was also borderline insulting..

It also isn't a new thing for me to see someone go through surgical procedures to look like a celebrity.  In Houston back in the 80's and early 90's we had a female illusionist named Rhonda Blake who loved and resembled Cher, and had surgical enhancements done to perfect her look.  Unfortunately one of the things she had done on her road to to achieving Cher perfection was silicone pumping, and a botched procedure killed her.

But back to the post.
 
I have to ask Lindsay Goldwert what was the point in writing this article?  So Kara is a trans Britney Spears fan who has the genetics, ability, cash flow and desire to look like her idol.  At least she chose a living person to emulate.  

That's more than I can say for 51 year old Sarah Burge of Great Britain, who spent over $500,000 to look like Barbie and her competition in 21 year old Ukranian Valeria Lukyanova   

Burge is now handing surgery vouchers to her now 8 year old daughter and Botox shot to her 15 year old one. 

If by writing the post you were attempting to suggest that having surgical procedures to look like a celebrity is a transgender thang, it isn't.   I've already given you two examples of ciswomen who did so just to emulate a plastic doll and ciswomen also have plastic surgery to look like women they idolize, too.

And let's not forget about all the Michael Jackson impersonators who kept plastic surgeons in business during the 80's and 90's.

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