Hi again,So long between postings it is almost criminal. I have not written anything for ages and felt compelled to put together this letter of complaint and sent it to a local Brisvegas radio station. I happened to be listening to a radio shock jockass fool with a caller on the line yesterday on a station that is one of the growing number of media machines hell bent on generating trans phobic and anti gender variant vilification. It seems every week I witness on TV and other media formats new evidence of a subversive concerted effort to dismantle trans-activism and the growing support for those identifying as gender diverse. It seems that many issues and topics are seen as fodder for laughter and ridicule and I understand that comedy takes great licence in these areas, especially when it comes to picking on minorities and the weakest link. What I do not get is the way that this male dominated entertainment medium is responding to a perceived threat of growing acceptance by mainstream society of gender variant people. This insecure mostly male generated backlash seems to be whipping up a frenzy of anti trans and trans phobic media attacks by the likes of Rove and his comedic gen x counterparts and other shows in the vein of Good News Week and any other show that seems to have attached itself to some self righteous premise that they are an authority on what is worth dismantling and pulling apart with humour to destroy it's validity for mainstream acceptance. Yes I know what some may think about freedom of expression with humour, but when a group of people are already behind the eight ball with human rights and freedoms compared to others and are vulnerable to the affects of this campaign, one has to question why it is happening so much and with such spite filled venom. Is there is a responsibility for society to stem the frequency of these attacks? I feel it is coming from a place of ignorance and fear of accepting something they know is more powerful than they can control. It is natures beautiful wild animal that they would like always kept in a cage, until it's the last animal left in the only circus in town. Gender variance is a natural expression found in every life form and to continue to deny this diversity is stupid and one of the reasons why humans are so out of touch with mother nature. The Universe makes no mistakes! everything happens for a reason and is an opportunity to learn from every lesson, good or bad experience is given as a gift. It is up to all of us to accept it and unwrap. Everyone can learn something we did not even think we needed to know from the experiences and people we do not understand. It is a chance to grow if we can find a way to turn our lemons into lemonade. All you have to do is open your mind and add a little sugar. xxx Banksy
Here is the letter of complaint that I sent to a novarated shock jock lion tamer!
To whom this may concern,
I am writing this letter to voice my disgust with comments that were broadcast on your radio stations morning show with Brendan Dangar at approximately 9.50am.
I would like to make a complaint to your station in regards to derogatory comments about the validity of Lady Ga Ga’s femininity and that it has allowed offensive comments to be aired which directly vilified members of the Transgender community. I was shocked to hear Brendan Dangar joke with a caller to the station about whether or not Lady Ga Ga was a real woman. He said that her statement that she was a real friend to a fellow musician was somehow invalid because nothing about her was real and she was a “dude” as he called her. As a member of the Transgender community I find this personally offensive that he would try to validate on air the idea that anyone who is suspected to have gender variance is in some way not real or worthy of respect and open to ridicule and discrimination. I have no idea about Lady Ga Ga’s gender identity and as far as I am concerned that is none of my business or anyone else’s. She is a woman and has identified herself as a woman and any comments made to slander her gender identity are discriminatory and highly offensive to all who identify as female. In my opinion this is not only a form of sexist misogyny against all women in Australia, it is also a deliberate attempt to debase women subversively through a male dominated broadcasting medium.
I have the right to listen to a radio program without feeling humiliated, degraded and ridiculed as a member of a community that is being made fun of by one of your ignorant announcers. This is blatant discrimination and vilification via comments that deliberately attempt to incite hatred against Trans people. These comments encourage transphobia and endanger the lives of vulnerable members of my community that encounter negative anti social behavior directed at Transgender people. As a broadcaster it is your responsibility to ensure that what you broadcast is not offensive or discriminatory and in breach of radio code of practice. I am appalled at the amount of anti Trans behavior directed at my community and will be taking this matter further. I would like to know what you are going to do about this incident and hope that an understanding can be reached that it is not ok to ridicule and degrade anyone on the basis of gender or gender identity.
I have attached sections of the radio code of practice that are in relation to my complaint and hope to hear a response from you in the near future.
Yours Sincerely,
Robyn Whittaker.
I am writing this letter to voice my disgust with comments that were broadcast on your radio stations morning show with Brendan Dangar at approximately 9.50am.
I would like to make a complaint to your station in regards to derogatory comments about the validity of Lady Ga Ga’s femininity and that it has allowed offensive comments to be aired which directly vilified members of the Transgender community. I was shocked to hear Brendan Dangar joke with a caller to the station about whether or not Lady Ga Ga was a real woman. He said that her statement that she was a real friend to a fellow musician was somehow invalid because nothing about her was real and she was a “dude” as he called her. As a member of the Transgender community I find this personally offensive that he would try to validate on air the idea that anyone who is suspected to have gender variance is in some way not real or worthy of respect and open to ridicule and discrimination. I have no idea about Lady Ga Ga’s gender identity and as far as I am concerned that is none of my business or anyone else’s. She is a woman and has identified herself as a woman and any comments made to slander her gender identity are discriminatory and highly offensive to all who identify as female. In my opinion this is not only a form of sexist misogyny against all women in Australia, it is also a deliberate attempt to debase women subversively through a male dominated broadcasting medium.
I have the right to listen to a radio program without feeling humiliated, degraded and ridiculed as a member of a community that is being made fun of by one of your ignorant announcers. This is blatant discrimination and vilification via comments that deliberately attempt to incite hatred against Trans people. These comments encourage transphobia and endanger the lives of vulnerable members of my community that encounter negative anti social behavior directed at Transgender people. As a broadcaster it is your responsibility to ensure that what you broadcast is not offensive or discriminatory and in breach of radio code of practice. I am appalled at the amount of anti Trans behavior directed at my community and will be taking this matter further. I would like to know what you are going to do about this incident and hope that an understanding can be reached that it is not ok to ridicule and degrade anyone on the basis of gender or gender identity.
I have attached sections of the radio code of practice that are in relation to my complaint and hope to hear a response from you in the near future.
Yours Sincerely,
Robyn Whittaker.
