As reported earlier this week by planetransgender, The Brunswick Patch and The Advocate Eyricka Morgan a transgender woman was murdered in New Brunswick NJ.
*Update! Immediately after posting this Sue Epstein begun reaching out to our community. See the tweets at the end of the story for updates.
All of the before mentioned news sources used the most basic tools in confirming the trans status of the victim. In the trans community and the greater mainstream media as a whole, this procedure is paramount. It is considered and rightfully so a serious breach of protocol to incorrectly identify someone as transgender or cisgender.
Sue Epstein at the Star Ledger originally reported on this crime but has yet to follow these basic principals of journalism by failing to properly investigate and worst yet, by ignoring information on the victims transgender status that she herself requested.
Like some mainstream media have done in the past the Star Ledger is adhering to a editorial policy of ignoring social media. But when it becomes s so apparent that they are ignoring the facts they asked for from the community one begins to question if this behaviour is transphobic in nature.
So for the Star Ledger it time to be edified.
@TweetTrina4Lyfe I’m sorry but I can’t put in information I don’t have confirmed and no one has said Evan Morgan was transgender.
— Susan Epstein (@susan_epstein) September 26, 2013
The @StarLedger newspaper repeatedly misgenders #trans woman killed in New Jersey http://t.co/lZU7fZpYoz #trans #LGBT
— GLAAD (@glaad) September 27, 2013
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| GLAAD Blog Sept 27 |
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| Star Ledger Jornalist Sue Epstein posted this comment on the original article on the 28th of Oct |
Sue Epstein’s confusing comment first seems to acknowledge that there have been people who contacted her confirming Eyricka Morgan’s trans status then she says that no one has contacted her at all in contradiction to GLAADS statement.
There seemed to be a missed connection as many of the trans community tweeted to the @StarLedger and not directly to Sue Epstein’s.
I will now put Sue Epstein in contact with Janet Mock and Darnell L. Moore who personally knew of the victims transgender status and Glaad for information on how to write her updated article.
@susan_epstein please contact @janetmock Janet Mock personally knows Eyricka Morgan and will confirm her transgender status.
— planetransgender (@kellibusey) September 29, 2013
@janetmock @starledger I forwarded an email to @susan_epstein this morning!
— Darnell L. Moore (@Moore_Darnell) September 28, 2013
@bEx_x3d @starledger Simply put, @susan_epstein could go to the boarding house and ask residents how she lived since she needs proof.
— Janet Mock (@janetmock) September 28, 2013
Feel free to copy my email to @susan_epstein about misgendering Eyricka Morgan in @starledger: http://t.co/eMgW8UmXsx #girlslikeus #TWoC
— Janet Mock (@janetmock) September 27, 2013
Action Required: Ask Susan Epstein to Respect Eyricka Morgan’s Identity + Life
Thanks,
Janet Mock
Moments after posting this article and mentioning Susan Epstein on twitter she responded. You can call the timing serendipitous if you want too but I’ll call it advocacy and that’s my story and I’m stickin too it 🙂 In any case we are moving forward.
@susan_epstein Here is the info you asked for to confirm Eyricka Morgan’s transgender status. Plz update/edit article http://t.co/qov97uc4uv
— planetransgender (@kellibusey) September 29, 2013
@kellibusey @susan_epstein @janetmock thank you. I will.
— Susan Epstein (@susan_epstein) September 29, 2013
@janetmock @Moore_Darnell yes. Thank you. I spoke with him and he is great. I’d like to talk to you too.
— Susan Epstein (@susan_epstein) September 29, 2013
