An open letter to the organisers of Tranny Bingo

This is an op-ed written by Indiana Edwards, a local trans* rights activist and board member of Wipe Out Transphobia, in response to a City Hub article published on May 8.

If the pen is mightier than the sword, it follows that words are weapons. Within cis-normative society, “tr*nny” is commonly used as a slur. A quick Google search reveals the kind of negative, hyper-sexualised stereotypes the word is most often associated with.

It might seem like harmless fun for drag queens to whimsically and parodically use this terminology to promote their events, but at the end of the day, when they remove their make-up and shed the sequins, the trans* community is left to face the consequences.

We face transphobia daily. It can be obvious displays of hate such as violence or name-calling with derogatory terms like “tr*nny” or “she-m*le”, or it can be more subversive and passive forms, such as getting poor reviews in the workplace, and being turned away from housing and job interviews.

The National LGBT Health Alliance recently reported that suicide rates amongst transgender Australians are at least 14 times higher than the rest of the population. From the limited research available on the incidence of sexual violence against transgender persons, we know the trans* community is a high-risk minority group.

A 1993 national survey funded by the Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Health revealed that from a sample group of 146 members of the trans* community, 71 respondents reported 157 incidents of sexual violence. Almost a third reported rape by a lone assailant while approximately one in eight reported pack rape.

The organisers of Tr*nny Bingo may not have any “malicious intent” but by using and validating this word, harm is done. Since the ‘90s, “tr*nny” has become a popular slur to describe members of our community in a derogatory and objectifying way. We realise we can’t control what people say, think, and do, but we can educate society and foster a better understanding of current trans* cultural norms.

Many of those who have stood in support of Tr*nny Bingo are gay men. It is ironic to see so many gay men speak out last week against Miranda Devine’s article in the Daily Telegraph, which argued that the term ‘gay’ is not a homophobic slur. Of course it is. Just as the words “gay” and “fag” are routinely used to denigrate homosexual men, “tr*nny” is a slur transgender people hear all too often.

The organisers of Tr*nny Bingo are not trans* and do not live the trans* experience the way we do. When weighed up against the daily grind of the trans* experience, the derogatory and objectifying language that cis society uses to label us, a name change is not a huge ask.

You may think that your events raise awareness, and hell, it looks like fun, but please change the name. We have lobbied and worked hard to get where we are today. It’s time for change and we need you as allies. Your word appears to be more important than the safety and well-being of all trans* people.