Use of ‘tranny’ pejorative rules PCC

The PPC has declared that the use of the word “tranny” was both pejorative and a ‘needless abbreviation’ and as such was discrimination under Clause 12 of the PPC code
Facts:
A male to female transsexual had worked as a rape counsellor in Belfast. Sunday Life newspaper ran a story in November 2009 about the person under the headline “Tranny worked in rape centre”. The article questioned their suitability to work at a rape centre (given they had been born male) and also referred to them as being ‘strappy’ and ‘burly’. The person in question complained to the PCC about the article and in particular claimed that the use of the term “tranny” was insulting as there was, they suggested, a marked difference between transvestites and transsexuals.

The PCC upheld the complaint

Ms Keira McCormack complained to the Press Complaints Commission that an article headlined "Tranny worked in rape centre", published in the Sunday Life on 1 November 2009, was discriminatory in breach of Clause 12 (Discrimination) of the editors' Code of Practice.
The complaint was upheld. The PPC concluded that while it was appropriate/editorially justifiable to run a story discussing whether it was suitable for someone who was – or had been – male to work as a rape counsellor, it was discriminatory and indeed unnecessary to label them as a “tranny”.
Comment

As the PPC adjudication decided, it is perfectly justifiable to ask the question of whether someone who is or may have been male but now female is a suitable person to be working in a rape crisis centre. Indeed, had the article followed the line it could have provided useful discussion given that transsexuals are also vulnerable to rape and sexual assault. Headlining the piece as the paper did immediately fixed the phrase and image of a “tranny” into readers minds and as the complainant pointed out, people have different perceptions as to what a “tranny” is and the distinction between transsexual and transvestite. It was therefore a sensational headline aimed at grabbing attention rather than setting out what the essence of the story was – namely, should people who are trans-gender or of opposite genders work in rape crisis centres. So the finding of it being discriminatory under Clause 12 of the code is appropriate.