MTPC has sent their own letter to the editor, but we encourage you to let the Lowell Sun Know What You Think About Using “Humor’ to Degrade Transgender People.
Send Letters to the Editor to:
MARK O’NEIL
President & Publisher
978-970-4807
moneil@mediaonene.com
JAMES CAMPANINI
Editor
978-970-4621
jcampanini@lowellsun.com
DAN PHELPS
Columnist/Copy Editor
978-970-4640
dphelps@lowellsun.com
LETTER TO EDITOR
978-970-4623
978-656-0383
MTPC’s Letter to the Editor with Community Member Ethan St. Pierre
Dear Editor of the Lowell Sun
The references to transgender people, and in particular Chaz Bono’s gender transition, in “Christmas Carols with a Twist” was not funny. It was in fact, dehumanizing and degrading to transgender people. Transgender youth and adults are our neighbors, friends, and family members and more importantly, are human beings.
We are disappointed to see this piece in the Lowell Sun, the same paper that has covered stories of horrific violence and discrimination against transgender people in the Lowell community over the years. This type of “humor” contributes to a climate of intolerance to those who are different from us, in this case transgender people. Unfortunately, for some transgender youth and adults this climate of intolerance leads to violence and discrimination.
In a recent study by the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce found that in Massachusetts that 76% transgender adults experienced harassment on the job, 31% of transgender youth in K-12 schools had experienced physical assault, and 18% of transgender adults had been physically assaulted in a bias motivated attack.
We hope that in the future the Lowell Sun will carry stories accurately reflecting the experiences of the transgender people and not as this pieces was, the butt of a joke.
Sincerely
Gunner Scott
Executive Director, Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
Ethan St. Pierre
Haverhill Resident &
Coordinator of the Transgender Day of Remembrance website, which tracks the murders of transgender people due hate violence around the world.