The following quote is a comment written as a response to the article, “The Ugly Reality of Transphobia in the Philippines“:
“In the perspective of sex work, lives of transgendered sex workers is at risk in many ways. They have many stories untold, and Jeniffer’s story is one. Given the circumstances her bringing the service man to the hotel herself, stories of transgendered sex workers is reverberating. If the service man really intended to hook up with Jennifer and he knows she was a transgender/transwoman and his purpose was to torture and kill her, I think it is right to say it is hate crime and the element of homophobia is present.
But as the case unfolds, her story is just like our transgender sex workers who don’t disclose their gender to their partner. This practice also inspired Blakdyaks song ‘modeling charing’ (that I guess everyone listening to even gays themselves enjoys it not knowing the popular song promotes transphobia). The only difference is, Jennifer’s life was taken and by rage.”
The comment, in my opinion, seems to suggest that part of the reason Jennifer was attacked was because she did not fully disclose her status to the suspect.
The headline a recent Philippine Star article decided to publish, “Pemberton did not know Laude was a transgender,” also seems to suggest that her non-disclosure was relevant to the crime committed.
It’s not.
The victim was killed NOT because she didn’t disclose her transgender status. The victim was killed because Pemberton is a killer. The suffering that the suspect allegedly put the victim through is a criminal act, and can’t be justified in any situation.
One can argue that there are situations where it’s dangerous for a transgender to conceal her transgender status. However, it’s also a fact that there are significant safety concerns that make it difficult for a transgender to be upfront about her status as well.
It is not the moral duty of a transgender woman to randomly volunteer information about her transgender status. She has a right to her own personal information, and it should be up to her, if and when she wants that information to be revealed. Coming out as a transgender woman to anyone is difficult. It’s a personal and private struggle that cisgender people (people who are born with a gender identity that matches their biology) and heterosexuals will find difficult to understand completely. Whether or not she wants to share these private details is ultimately up to her.
Pemberton’s “abrupt discovery” may have contributed to his rage, but it doesn’t change the fact that he allegedly made a decision to cause a human being excess suffering because of what he may have perceived as a deceptive act.
Also, why are we making excuses for the violence committed?
If the victim was not a transgender woman, but a cisgender woman, would people still make excuses for the violence done?
Let’s say that there was a man who exclusively slept with virgins. One day he consents to have intercourse with a woman who he assumed was a virgin. Then, before they have intercourse, the man discovers that the woman was, in fact, no longer a virgin. He feels deceived and decides to kill her. Would anyone be making excuses for the killer then?
The relevance of Jennifer’s gender and profession is brought into question only because the crime happened in a community that is prejudiced against prostitutes, sex workers, and transgender women. If the same crime happened to a heterosexual, cisgender woman, it’s unlikely that the public’s response would be similar.
Even if a man was upset because he almost had sex with a person outside his preferences because of the latter’s deception, he still shouldn’t kill her. The same goes for this particular situation. A person who finds himself in this situation has a right to be upset, because he did not prefer to sleep with a transgender woman, but he still should not commit homicide.
Did Jennifer’s failure to disclose that she was a transgender woman increase the risk of violence? Possibly. But even if the discovery of Jennifer’s transgender status was what agitated the suspect, it doesn’t change the fact that what Pemberton allegedly did was wrong.
Jennifer’s failure to disclose her transgender status SHOULD NOT HAVE resulted in her death, and the only reason that it did, is because she was unfortunate enough to have had relations with a prejudiced killer.
The Philippine Star headline should have been written as, “Laude did not know Pemberton was a killer.”
Image Source:
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/pemberton-did-not-know-laude-000000903.html
I must first begin by saying that Jeffrey Laudey “Jennifer” death is tragic and inexcusable. That being said, im glad to have seen a disclaimer on this article because I refuse to believe that anyone who thinks he/she is a free thinker would write such a closed minded article. First of all, an attack on any person resulting in death does not automatically prove murder. That is why in court there are classifications such as manslaughter/homicide ect bieng justifiable or not. He could have attacked out of anger and death was an accidental/unintended result.
As a man i understand pembertons situation and anger. Though i highly doubt that i would kill another human being, it would be extremely hard for me to hold myself from some sort of violent actions toward the transgender in that situation. Let me explain. I would feel extremely violated or even raped having been led to beleive that he was a woman. Now that am in my late 20’s i have some form of restaint but i know for a fact that when i was 19 years old I would have given a proper beating to anyone who places me in that situation; and I fear I would have ended up being in the same situation as pemberton.
I must agree that being a trangender not exactly a choice that one takes likely if a choice at all. My brother in law is a trangender and he always tells me that he is a woman trapped in a mans body. The first time he said this to me,I laughed, being the inconsiderate jerk that I was or..am. He has been my brother in law for 5 years and I must say that when i talk to him i feel like i am talking to a woman. I dont feel like im talking to a man who wants to be a woman I really feel as if he has and always been a woman. That however is our relationship and i dont expect anyone to feel the same nor would i force my ideals on anyone. With that being said, if a trangender is having any dificulties letting anyone know thier real gender they dont have to as it is their right and their business; however when their sexual orientation is relevant to the activities in which they choose to participate with another person, honesty would fair. That being said, i honestly beleive that if she had revealed herself to pemberton in the club, Pemberton would have never went to the hotel and the situation would have been avoided. Choosing to reveal herself after they had entered the hotel room accidently or otherwise is a cause for a violent situation. Saying that Jennifers “failure” to disclose her sexual orientation is truly an understatement. Im 90% sure that Jennifer did not forget she was a man, and the information was deliberatley “Withheld” in order to apply her intentions. I say 90% because i dont know the facts, she might have been dillusional. The Relevance of Jennifer’s gender is not in question because the community surounding the crime is prejudice but because its a factor in the crime therefore it is relevant to the investigation. This applies to her profession as well.
To call Pemberton a killer is understandable, the crime he allegedly committed is horribly wrong to say the least. However calling him a killer is both impulsive and inaccurate. The man wanted to have a good time after a long duty enclosed in a ship, only to be decieved into sexual acts in which he would not have agreed to had he known his partner was a man. This does not excuse the results in this situation, however one must at the very least understand his grief.
The philippine star headlines was written by proffesionals who understood the Law and the facts of the crime at that time, and they dont have to change anything. The writer of this article above,however, should not quit his/her day job.
I will end by adressing the Filipino Free thinkers. I have been to your websites and read many articles. I appreciate and respect what you guys do and I wish you all the best of luck. With That Being Said…lol, I am glad there was a disclaimer on this article because i would like to beleive that the Filipino Freethinkers write the truth however ugly to make sure the public is informed. However let the truth be the Truth, do not color the truth with your feelings as aricles such as the one above may misrepresent your organization and stain your integrity. I hope that the FreeThinkers in you all’s name means you write with minds free of political and religious bias; that you disclose the truth motivated by personal beleifs not tainted by it.