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| Paper’s ‘transphobic’ coverage of a brutal murder-suicide prompts outrage in Australia | Paper’s ‘transphobic’ coverage of a brutal murder-suicide prompts outrage in Australia |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Australian police responding to reports of a foul odor emitting from a Brisbane apartment found a gruesome scene: the dismembered body of a woman. The murder was widely covered in the Australian and British press for, among other reasons, the unconfirmed reports that the woman's body was found cooking on the apartment stove. | Australian police responding to reports of a foul odor emitting from a Brisbane apartment found a gruesome scene: the dismembered body of a woman. The murder was widely covered in the Australian and British press for, among other reasons, the unconfirmed reports that the woman's body was found cooking on the apartment stove. |
| The woman has since been identified in several media reports as Mayang Prasetyo. She met the man believed to be her murderer, Marcus Volke, while the pair worked on international cruise ships. | The woman has since been identified in several media reports as Mayang Prasetyo. She met the man believed to be her murderer, Marcus Volke, while the pair worked on international cruise ships. |
| Volke worked as a chef; Prasetyo was reportedly the breadwinner for some family members who live in Indonesia. The couple moved into the apartment they shared a few weeks ago, Sky News reported. | Volke worked as a chef; Prasetyo was reportedly the breadwinner for some family members who live in Indonesia. The couple moved into the apartment they shared a few weeks ago, Sky News reported. |
| Investigators believe that Volke took his own life after escaping into an alleyway once police arrived at his door. It appears that Prasetyo's body sat in the apartment for several days before officials conducted the welfare check. | Investigators believe that Volke took his own life after escaping into an alleyway once police arrived at his door. It appears that Prasetyo's body sat in the apartment for several days before officials conducted the welfare check. |
| The deaths shocked residents of the upmarket Teneriffe complex. "That poor girl has sat there for however many days, and we’ve just been walking past, living our lives, and thinking 'what’s that smell?'" resident Courtney Reichart told the Associated Press. Reichart added that she and her husband met the couple once, and they "seemed quite friendly, they didn't seem like they had any issues, but it was a quick meet and greet." | The deaths shocked residents of the upmarket Teneriffe complex. "That poor girl has sat there for however many days, and we’ve just been walking past, living our lives, and thinking 'what’s that smell?'" resident Courtney Reichart told the Associated Press. Reichart added that she and her husband met the couple once, and they "seemed quite friendly, they didn't seem like they had any issues, but it was a quick meet and greet." |
| Police are treating the deaths as a murder-suicide. But with the suspect dead, there's little information on when — or why — this happened. Coverage of the story, however, has focused details of the victim's backstory that have no connection, as of yet, to her death. | Police are treating the deaths as a murder-suicide. But with the suspect dead, there's little information on when — or why — this happened. Coverage of the story, however, has focused details of the victim's backstory that have no connection, as of yet, to her death. |
| Namely, that Prasetyo was transgender. | |
| The story has also served as a reminder that the media has a lot to learn about how to cover stories involving a transgender person. Mayang Prasetyo is repeatedly referred to as a "transsexual" by the International Business Times. Although some individuals do identify as "transsexual," the term is often viewed as old-fashioned and not an appropriate umbrella word. | The story has also served as a reminder that the media has a lot to learn about how to cover stories involving a transgender person. Mayang Prasetyo is repeatedly referred to as a "transsexual" by the International Business Times. Although some individuals do identify as "transsexual," the term is often viewed as old-fashioned and not an appropriate umbrella word. |
| News.com.au, the second-most-read news site in Australia, calls her a "transsexual 'high-class' prostitute." Many of the articles covering the murder are laden with provocative photographs of the victim in a bikini, as if any story about a trans person is an excuse to view and scrutinize trans bodies. | News.com.au, the second-most-read news site in Australia, calls her a "transsexual 'high-class' prostitute." Many of the articles covering the murder are laden with provocative photographs of the victim in a bikini, as if any story about a trans person is an excuse to view and scrutinize trans bodies. |
| The Daily Mail, if nothing else, is pretty upfront about this: The headline on its story about this brutal murder reads, "First pictures of transsexual wife murdered and cooked by her chef husband who then slashed his throat as police arrived." | The Daily Mail, if nothing else, is pretty upfront about this: The headline on its story about this brutal murder reads, "First pictures of transsexual wife murdered and cooked by her chef husband who then slashed his throat as police arrived." |
| Australian transgender rights advocates were particularly upset by the Courier-Mail's treatment of this story. Here is the tabloid's cover: | Australian transgender rights advocates were particularly upset by the Courier-Mail's treatment of this story. Here is the tabloid's cover: |
| Did someone at @couriermail not stop and think this was in extremely poor taste before sending to press? #equality pic.twitter.com/w5qZvxKYmA — Daniel Dulhunty (@dulhunty) October 6, 2014 | Did someone at @couriermail not stop and think this was in extremely poor taste before sending to press? #equality pic.twitter.com/w5qZvxKYmA — Daniel Dulhunty (@dulhunty) October 6, 2014 |
| Did someone at @couriermail not stop and think this was in extremely poor taste before sending to press? #equality pic.twitter.com/w5qZvxKYmA | Did someone at @couriermail not stop and think this was in extremely poor taste before sending to press? #equality pic.twitter.com/w5qZvxKYmA |
| — Daniel Dulhunty (@dulhunty) October 6, 2014 | — Daniel Dulhunty (@dulhunty) October 6, 2014 |
| The Brisbane-based tabloid, owned by News Corp., has a reputation for particularly inflammatory covers. | The Brisbane-based tabloid, owned by News Corp., has a reputation for particularly inflammatory covers. |
| But Tuesday's Courier-Mail cover crossed a line for many readers: | But Tuesday's Courier-Mail cover crossed a line for many readers: |
| Dear @couriermail, Your lurid & sensational reporting of a woman’s murder today was shameful. She was a human being, not an entertainment. — Badham Insouciance (@vanbadham) October 7, 2014 | Dear @couriermail, Your lurid & sensational reporting of a woman’s murder today was shameful. She was a human being, not an entertainment. — Badham Insouciance (@vanbadham) October 7, 2014 |
| Dear @couriermail, Your lurid & sensational reporting of a woman’s murder today was shameful. She was a human being, not an entertainment. — Badham Insouciance (@vanbadham) October 7, 2014 | Dear @couriermail, Your lurid & sensational reporting of a woman’s murder today was shameful. She was a human being, not an entertainment. — Badham Insouciance (@vanbadham) October 7, 2014 |
| Transphobia, victim-blaming, objectification and irresponsible reporting of spousal murder on today's disgraceful @couriermail cover. SHAME. — Jessica Craig-Piper (@JesCraigPiper) October 7, 2014 | Transphobia, victim-blaming, objectification and irresponsible reporting of spousal murder on today's disgraceful @couriermail cover. SHAME. — Jessica Craig-Piper (@JesCraigPiper) October 7, 2014 |
| Transphobia, victim-blaming, objectification and irresponsible reporting of spousal murder on today's disgraceful @couriermail cover. SHAME. | Transphobia, victim-blaming, objectification and irresponsible reporting of spousal murder on today's disgraceful @couriermail cover. SHAME. |
| — Jessica Craig-Piper (@JesCraigPiper) October 7, 2014 | — Jessica Craig-Piper (@JesCraigPiper) October 7, 2014 |
| With regards to @couriermail’s front page & headline story today, I have: 1. Complained to their social media accounts 2. Signed a petition — Alison Fairleigh (@AlisonFairleigh) October 7, 2014 | With regards to @couriermail’s front page & headline story today, I have: 1. Complained to their social media accounts 2. Signed a petition — Alison Fairleigh (@AlisonFairleigh) October 7, 2014 |
| With regards to @couriermail’s front page & headline story today, I have: 1. Complained to their social media accounts 2. Signed a petition | With regards to @couriermail’s front page & headline story today, I have: 1. Complained to their social media accounts 2. Signed a petition |
| — Alison Fairleigh (@AlisonFairleigh) October 7, 2014 | — Alison Fairleigh (@AlisonFairleigh) October 7, 2014 |
| .@couriermail A disgraceful cover in typical sensationalist fashion. 2 people died, 1 who happened to be a beautiful transgendered person. — Adrian Fernand (@AdrianFernand) October 7, 2014 | .@couriermail A disgraceful cover in typical sensationalist fashion. 2 people died, 1 who happened to be a beautiful transgendered person. — Adrian Fernand (@AdrianFernand) October 7, 2014 |
| .@couriermail A disgraceful cover in typical sensationalist fashion. 2 people died, 1 who happened to be a beautiful transgendered person. — Adrian Fernand (@AdrianFernand) October 7, 2014 | .@couriermail A disgraceful cover in typical sensationalist fashion. 2 people died, 1 who happened to be a beautiful transgendered person. — Adrian Fernand (@AdrianFernand) October 7, 2014 |
| Still so disgusted at @couriermail's utterly appalling transphobic front page today. — Brendan Keogh (@BRKeogh) October 7, 2014 | Still so disgusted at @couriermail's utterly appalling transphobic front page today. — Brendan Keogh (@BRKeogh) October 7, 2014 |
| Still so disgusted at @couriermail's utterly appalling transphobic front page today. | Still so disgusted at @couriermail's utterly appalling transphobic front page today. |
| — Brendan Keogh (@BRKeogh) October 7, 2014 | — Brendan Keogh (@BRKeogh) October 7, 2014 |
| Those who decided to flip open the publication and read the actual story were dismayed to find that the paper had referred to the victim as "ladyboy." | Those who decided to flip open the publication and read the actual story were dismayed to find that the paper had referred to the victim as "ladyboy." |
| Woah, hadn't seen inside the Courier Mail via @YaThinkN pic.twitter.com/QYJJ6UFwkh — Bridie Jabour (@bkjabour) October 7, 2014 | Woah, hadn't seen inside the Courier Mail via @YaThinkN pic.twitter.com/QYJJ6UFwkh — Bridie Jabour (@bkjabour) October 7, 2014 |
| Woah, hadn't seen inside the Courier Mail via @YaThinkN pic.twitter.com/QYJJ6UFwkh | Woah, hadn't seen inside the Courier Mail via @YaThinkN pic.twitter.com/QYJJ6UFwkh |
| — Bridie Jabour (@bkjabour) October 7, 2014 | — Bridie Jabour (@bkjabour) October 7, 2014 |
| We e-mailed the Courier-Mail's editor for comment, but have not yet heard back. As BuzzFeed noted, one journalist at the paper took to Twitter to attempt to defend his employer's cover: | We e-mailed the Courier-Mail's editor for comment, but have not yet heard back. As BuzzFeed noted, one journalist at the paper took to Twitter to attempt to defend his employer's cover: |
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