Day Time TV, a Transsexual Nightmare

On December fifth I happened to tune in the Maury Povitch show. I was horrified and shocked by what I saw. I am sure that was the intention--shock--but not for the reasons Maury expected.

I was not shocked because of the people I saw but because of the derogatory way in which his transgender guests were represented.

Maury exemplifies this typical treatment of transgender people on daytime television, treatment that promotes hate, misinformation and dehumanizes this already marginalized segment of the population. The show title was "Are they men or are they women?" (Maury does this theme a few times a year) The show theme itself is derogatory. Why not line up guests with big noses and ask the audience to pick out the Jews? Its the same motif.

However, it may have been a fair contest and good show title had the posers been drag performers. It might be fun to see men in drag and how well they are able to impersonate women or if they could fool the audience. This was not the case at all. What I saw were one or two drag performers, obvious to me as a transsexual woman. What was disturbing was that there were a number of either pre-operative or, possibly, post operative transsexual women; they too were presented as men.

Sorry but transsexual women are not men, before, after or during transition.

For over 50 years mental health professionals have known that gender is of the mind not of the sex organ. Empirical data is vast. A recent UCLA study had actually identified the chromosomes that cause ones brain to identify as male or female. Gender identity is, in fact, hard wired in the human brain before birth regardless of body sex as demonstrated in numerous brain sex studies.

Transsexuals dont have a choice. Male-to-female transsexuals are born with female brains. This is a medical condition, not a dress-up game. Maury would not know that; he certainly didnt care. He never asked any questions of the transgender guests but he was happy to disrespect them by calling them men.

The so called "men" Maury had on display had obviously undergone hormone treatment, had breasts, facial hair removed, apparent advanced feminization, and their own real hair in a womens hair cut. They were not drag queens. Cross dressers or drag queens do not go though such extreme irreversible measures and expense to feminize. There are exceptions, of course, but rare.

Maury was lying to the audience. The women he called men were, in fact, women. This begs the question: why would a transsexual (TS) woman subject herself to this sort of demoralizing treatment? Why would a woman who had put so much time, money and effort into feminization allow some TV schmuck to call her a man? The vast majority of TS women only want to get thought transition and live a normal life. Transsexual women do everything they can to blend in, not stand out, something else Maury would not have a clue about. He rightly discovered, however, that TS women blend so well that they are nearly impossible to find. There is a question Maury could have asked: why do they have such a need to blend in so well? The answer is, hate crimes, rejection and discrimination. But, of course, no such question was asked.

I would guess that these women, judging by their beauty, willingness to be exposed, extensive work done, and ability to embrace the gag, were ether sex workers, porno actresses or professional Transgender personalities. They are the one segment of the TS population that is easy to find and exploit. They are in the business of exploitation. Unlike the majority of TS people, they can be found because they want to be found. "Professionally" available Transsexuals comprise less than 10% of the total TS population but they are readily found, perfect for this job. Few professionals have qualms about negative treatment if it pays off. They have a need to be exposed; free advertising is good for business. Moreover, no information or misinformation is good business for Maury Povitch as well as for the girls selling a fantasy.

Unfortunately this kind of television is bad for the Transsexual community and for the public at large. The public deserves to know the truth--not Muarys lies. Nothing was learned and nothing was gained except ratings. Only the sponsors benefited. Meanwhile, stereotypes, lies and derogatory treatment of transsexual people were reinforced .The hate and fear people feel toward the transgender community was perpetuated. Reality, truth and social justice were ignored.

Of course, Maury was not interested in real life or the hardships and issues transgender people face .He was happy to lie and call women "men" for ratings. Maury was only interested in exploiting the most marginalized of all minorities for a sensationalized, ill-gotten ratings gain. Ratings must be at the base of Maurys social consciousness. From my view it appears that Maury has no conscience at all. I guess thats a required mindset in the "cheap-shot" entertainment venues of day time television. Whats next, Maury? Revisit the past by putting white people in black face to pick out the real Afro Americans?

Disgracing transsexuals is the same strategy used on the former favorite minority but now its applied to the only minority left that has no protection from discrimination under the law. Subliminal and overt minority bashing is alive and well on the Maury Povitch show.