Transphobic cartoon

[stickygirl]

So the UK's left wing newspaper, The Morning Star, published a cartoon https://66.media.tumblr.com/e06f2c93460198be357def65f82b49d8/f3e113a7f8f3c4a5-41/s540x810/5e72d3b3e4aa4d415eb85149cfe9ff32f7e22cfc.jpg and have been rightly criticised. Not the first time an apparently left of centre paper has done this - the Washington Post did the same last year https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D2mI_X1XgAAofnY?format=jpg&name=small .

I had read the TMS one a couple of times, because I thought it was trans people in the pool and a predator ( croc ) trying to invade our safe space. I guess that was my perspective, plus I have trouble with humour at times ( because ASD ).

Going on from there in my aspie way, it's strange that they chose newts, because they swap sex through environmental changes... I doubt that had been considered.

Then the WP cartoon is odd too, because a number of the male audience would actually be quite pleased if it turned out their cake surprise was a trans woman. What is more creepy is that the commentators in the cartoon assume that the audience will have an opportunity to look inside her knickers to find out that she is pre-op. Do they do this with all women who jump out of cakes? Is that a thing?

It all goes to show that media men are slime balls, whether they're drunks, left wing or crocs. Whatevs.

 

[yukonnights]

I see no humor in this at all. My first (and second) impression; It comes off as a dig at people who are transitioning/transitioned as being lecherous and of ill intentions. Basically what a lot of trans-phobic people are saying now. In this rendition, the big scary crocodile is the "trans faker" (You know, those scores and thousands of hetero guys who dress up like a woman just so they might get a peek through the crack of a stall door - you know, the evils ones.). The frightened little newts are the innocent "real things" … just wanting to pee.

Doesn't come off as progressive to me

 

[4yourpleasureiam]

The crock was depicted in a U.K. paper. Perhaps it is in reference to the number of rapes that have taken place in women's prisons. Rapes by cowardly guys who did not want to spend their time in mens prison so they said they were transgenders. There are reported cases of rapes in American prisons also.

 

[Bramblethorn]

The crock was depicted in a U.K. paper. Perhaps it is in reference to the number of rapes that have taken place in women's prisons. Rapes by cowardly guys who did not want to spend their time in mens prison so they said they were transgenders. There are reported cases of rapes in American prisons also.

Weird how the folk who are adamantly against letting trans women do their time in women's prisons because "they might rape other inmates" are never seen campaigning against letting male guards work in women's prisons, even though there are far more cases of abuse by guards than by trans women.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I'd hardly dignify the Morning Star as a 'UK left-wing newspaper'. Since the Soviet Union stopped bulk-buying copies in 1989, its circulation is round 7000. The Big Issue magazine sold by the homeless covers the various societal issues better and sells over 80k copies.

It's also not just left-wing but actually Communist - as in set up by the Communist Party of Great Britain, not in the 'anything faintly socialist is a damn pinko Commie' rabid-American accusation sense.

I wouldn't be surprised if they published a 'controversial' cartoon on purpose to get media attention.

There's a remarkable lack of docs online about UK women assaulted/groomed by male guards (just various first-person accounts), compared to the huge number of news articles about the mere possibility of male prisoners claiming to be trans women in order to rape women. A detailed study of assaults in prison only covered prisoners attacking each other or the guards, for example. Apart from the Karen White case which led to better procedures, the shock 1 in 50 prisoners claiming to be trans is from a survey noting that trans prisoners get to shower alone and other 'privileges'.

 

[stickygirl]

I agree the Morning Star is a trash commie publication, but the cartoon gained enough head of steam to reach beyond its circulation.
The apologies were reported
https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/23/newspaper-apologises-transphobic-cartoon-sparks-outrage-12287799/
The Metro is pretty much mainstream and the cartoonist. Stella is apparently a regular cartoonist for the M Star, so their official distancing doesn't really cut much ice.

A little more digging into the artist Stella Perrett is odd
"She, you may recall, is a close former friend and associate of disgraced local Lib Dem kiddie porn aficionado councillor John Astley, who in 2004 was convicted for his paedo peccadilloes – as well as a number of electoral fraud charges which, err, The Artist Formerly Known As Stella Hender also faced!"
BBC coverage of John Astley

Going on from there... (the trail is like picking up dog-turds) is this from Elain May Smith who is especially gushing of her support of Stella
"Stella Perrett - Political Cartoonist of 2016 Nominee (Morning Star)
STELLA PERRETT illustrates my Hurricane Hilda books"

Here's a photo of here - public domain
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSzGfgeWcAIaW0V?format=jpg&name=small

Her own website still proudly includes the cartoon with the words "This cartoon is called 'Endgame' because it could be the last debate by Feminists in the western World about whether women can protect their safe spaces - for those rich enough and free enough to have the luxury to debate, of course. I understand that the Morning Star have issued an apology for publishing this cartoon! Better than being wiped out in your own editorial meeting by someone who objected to it, eh?"

Ah, finally I get it. TERF

and that is probably all I want to read about the woman