I am really shocked that the media are referring to Karen White, the male rapist as she. Jeremy Vine has said that if he refers to Karen White as male complaints against him will be upheld. This person lived near me and waged a campaign of terror on local residents in social housing and pretended to be transgendered so that he could access and rape a vulnerable women. He then used this persona to be moved to a women's prison and commitment further offences. He has now been sentenced to 22 years (in a male prison).
The media is referring to this man as 'she' and making reference to 'her penis'. How is this not gaslighting and abusive towards his victims? They know a man attacked them so why is his preference for pronouns more important that the victims right to recovery? We know the damage that denying victims truthful testimony causes so why is this happening? We know that being told that their rapists were 'good men' gave victims of abuse in the Catholic Church and Jimmy Savile, so how is this different?
This is not a thread derogatory to trans people, I feel utterly confused as to how a violent male offender has been able to pretend to be a trans gendered woman to commit these crimes, and yet is still being referred to in the media by female pro nouns despite the trans community and the judge in the case stating he was manipulating people using a 'trans persona' and Drs stating that he did not have dysphoria and was not committed to transitioning.
Please don't attack me and call me transphobic, I am terrified to discuss this in real life as I am frightened of being called a bigot. I am actually very worried that this man pretending to be a trans women will cause transphobia. I have no axe to grind but find this so confusing and upsetting. I work with vulnerable young women and am a victim of sexual violence myself, please be kind.
Thank you.