LGBT PR expert Cathy Renna says, “Generally, with the public and mainstream media, we’re still doing Trans 101,” and she saw the story as one that was too easily sensationalized and was perhaps too much for the public to take in all at once.
The Advocate, having done the initial damage (although attention-courting Thomas probably would have found another media outlet to come out to if it wasn’t them), suggests that trans people should worry now about discriminatory laws targeting them in conservative states like the ones that rushed to ban same-sex marriage in the wake of Massachusetts’ 2003 supreme court decision. Despite the support of Oprah’s studio audience, the trans may need to do a little publicity cleanup in Beatie’s wake–Calpernia to the rescue!
The mag is also launching a poll to their online readership (what are the demographics we wonder?), asking if Thomas Beatie’s move hurt the trans movement, with results to be published in their July issue.
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Trans Positions (The Advocate)
Poll: Did Thomas Beatie’s going public with his pregnancy hurt the transgender movement? (The Advocate)