25/10/2019 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Exposed: The Scale of Transphobia Online

Exploring transphobia and pro-trans conversation on social media.

Brighton based company Brandwatch and national Anti-bullying charity & campaigners Ditch the Label joined forces to analyze 10 million online posts over a 3½ year period to explore online transphobia.

Using the largest dataset of its kind. They uncovered 1.5 million transphobic comments amid the wider conversation around trans people.

This report does not make for light reading as it uncovers the shocking and inhumane ways in which transgender people are targeted, harassed, and abused on digital platforms.

The online posts uncovered, some of which have been shared thousands of times, range in severity from transphobic attitudes through to genocide and violence. Ditch the Label’s has categorised this using a Pyramid of Transphobia based on the Pyramid of Hate. This pyramid shows transphobic attitudes and behaviors in segments growing in severity from bottom to top. Modelled similarly to the Pyramid of Hate the Pyramid of Transphobia shows how behaviors categorized on the lower tier can support and lead to higher-level ones. When these attitudes and behaviors are challenged, escalation can be stopped.

Using the largest dataset of its kind, the report explores how left unchallenged, digital hate speech can and does evolve into acts of physical violence committed towards trans people.

One important finding is that constructive, pro-trans conversation far outweighs the negative.

Politics and race were the largest themes found within the transphobic comments, while other topics like gender and religion appear at a lower rate. The data didn’t show major differences between conversations from the US and the UK, although parenting and sports are twice as likely to be associated with transphobia in the UK.

Munroe Bergdorf Model and trans actavsit said “I was interested to see the relationship between transphobia and racism and do feel that racist people see transphobia as a tool to legitimize their racism. I’ve had transphobic comments on photos of me mixed in with nazi speech on a number of times. Transphobia is seen as a valid opinion. We never look at racism, sexism or homophobia and say it’s an opinion, so why is transphobia such a ‘free for all’?

Liam Hackett, Ditch The Label CEO said “As a cisgender ally to the trans community, I have seen how dangerous online communities can be as echo chambers for self-radicalization. My hope is that this report will bring the problem to the forefront of public conversation, and encourage an urgent review of hate speech guidelines on social platforms and in law. If you are affected by any of the issues in this report, please know that you aren’t alone and support is available at DitchtheLabel.org”

Content and trigger warning: Please be aware that in places the data presented in this infographic is uncensored. If you’re younger than 16 please seek parental advice before exploring this infographic. This analysis touches on topics including transphobia, racism, mentions of sexual assault, misogyny and misogynoir.

You can view the full online report here:

Hansard

National Theatre

London

Simon Woods’ debut play about a mediocre Tory Government Minister and his ultra-left wife is a delicious cocktail of angry ripostes, bitter memories , lost ambition, and political obsessions set in 1988 England.

The date is important because the magical Alex Jennings , as MP Robin Hesketh, is a key figure in the introduction of the much-despised Section 28 of the Local Government Act forbidding schools to promote or even discuss homosexuality with their pupils.

It’s Saturday and it’s Robin’s birthday at the family weekend Cotswold cottage – all bathed in creamy sunlight with a cosy Aga stove in the back wall. But rather like the highly dangerous-looking Bloody Mary Robin mixes onstage there’s a trap lying in wait for him from his bitter, unfulfilled wife Diane, played with venomous glee by Lindsay Duncan.

The two characters have verbal crossfire worthy of Albee or Coward . He has a passionate hatred of Labour and all things liberal-minded; she hates what she sees as the petty , squalid , uncaring dogmatism of the Tory ruling class.

Both actors are on top form in this 90 minute battle of the sexes and intellects. One lobs a verbal hand grenade at the other only to have it lobbed back, detonating at their feet.

Woods is brilliant at throw-away one-liners which resonated well with the Brexit-weary audience. She asks why is it that the natural party of Government is inherently bad at it. His hatred of “ book readers and theatregoers “ is matched by his loathing and disdain for the Labour opposition front bench – “ badly dressed geography teachers” he calls them.

His unconscious irony is never better displayed than his assertion that “ you can’t go around telling children they can be whatever they want to be in life “ . This is the heart of Woods’ polemic . The wife queries – is the Government catching the mood of the electorate or creating it ? Sounds a bit topical to me !

Margaret Thatcher is the unseen Godot of this play . Robin lovingly if blindly defends her apparent uncaring nature – Diane rips into her with a verbal chainsaw taking no prisoners.

Toryism is simple for Robin “ people don’t want the world to change. They want to feel safe and in the majority. “

When a startling revelation about their dead teenage son is disclosed in the play’s closing moments , it’s as if a great boil has been lanced and a sad peace descends on the household.

Jennings, sharp but world-weary and Duncan , lashing tongue and devastating looks are utterly brilliant.

It’s a story of squandered lives and unhappy compromises – fit for our times.

Hansard runs in repertoire at the National Theatre, London until 25 November .

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Day: October 25, 2019

REVIEW: Theatre Hansard @ National Theatre

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