Last week a small local newspaper on the Kapiti Coast apologised for correctly sexing a man who believes he is a woman.
The man is described in a media release as the “renowned multidisciplinary Indigenous artist Taupuruariki (Ariki) Whakataka Brightwell.”
Ariki Arts FB screenshot of Ariki Brightwell
Brightwell boasts extensive Maori tribal links as well as Tahitian and Rarotongan heritage. He is also the son of master carver, Matahi Brightwell, ONZM. He works alongside his father, “creating and restoring significant public whakairo and sculpture throughout Aotearoa.” His advocacy work includes posters created for Gender Minorities Aotearoa titled Trans Is Beautiful and Indigenous Genders Are Real.
Obviously this man is well connected. So when an article in the Kapiti News about a community mural he created with pupils at Paraparaumu School repeatedly referred to Brightwell as “he” and “him”, he knew what to do.
After a phone call with the owner of Kapiti News, Richard Christie, Brightwell lodged complaints with both the Human Rights Commission and the New Zealand Media Council.
However in his latest social media post, he says they have resolved the issue. An apology was published in last week’s paper and an edited version of the offending article will appear on Wednesday.
Screenshot of Kapiti News apology from Ariki Arts FB page
Brightwell says on his facebook post:
“I am she. I am wahine. Always have been and even though I have said I am trans, that’s not going to change a thing. I’ve always been who I am. I’ll always continue to be who I am and that’s it.”
My attempts to contact Richard Christie have not been successful since I was unable to source his contact details. The Platform is also aware of the story.
This story illustrates the chilling power of complaints to organisations such as the Human Rights Commission and the Media Council. A small local paper is unlikely to have the time and money resources to fight a complaint and the apology was understandable.
However, that apology does not alter reality. Brightwell is male. That’s what being trans means. Male presenting as female but not actually female.
FB Screenshot - Ariki Brightwell with Children’s Commissioner
Dr Claire Achmad
Yvonne Van Dongen is a journalist, travel writer, playwright and non-fiction author. This article was first published HERE
Yvonne Van Dongen is a journalist, travel writer, playwright and non-fiction author. This article was first published HERE
3 comments:
In this circumstance, I disagree with van Dongen and the original newspaper decision. Brightwell is a local, long known as a trans woman and not causing problems for anyone. I would have written 'she' in the article, because it would show respect for Brightwell's longstanding conception of herself. I don't think that causes anyone any harm, and the original decision misconstrued the context entirely.
"Brightwell is male. That’s what being trans means. Male presenting as female but not actually female."
That is the bottom line !!! Male DNA.
Why should someone's "longstanding conception of them[her]self' have to be shoe-horned into someone else's point of view? My longstanding conception is that male and female karyotypes lead to clear phenotypes, except perhaps where hermaphroditism occurs. So if the person looks male and doesn't clearly state that they want to adopt an opposite sex pronoun, then tough luck if some poor bugger gets it wrong. Too often we are forced to feel guilty about someone's life choice. Maybe the 'she' in question should apologise to the paper for not being physically and clearly of their self-appointed phenotype and thus misleading the reporter?
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