BS: public side of gender transition

Subject: Kristen Eck, radio broadcasts
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Feb 18 - 04:52 PM

I can scarcely imagine a more exposed, public experience of any kind of transition
than for a mass media broadcaster.
The CBS combination of radio and television for Greater Boston includes, on its staff of veterans on the air, an announcer/broadcaster who made a transition from one gender to another. The name-change and gender-change became public almost two years ago. This professional continued doing the same job, to my knowledge.

Boston's CBS radio station is one of the biggest, most powerful AM radio signals in the area. For untold numbers of driving commuters, this radio station is a metaphorical lighthouse beacon. Roughly every ten minutes, five or six times per drive-time daytime hour, the broadcast delivers the latest conditions in car traffic and in current weather plus short-term weather forecast.

I remember this particular person on both sides of the gender transition.
The job that put the person within my experience, was being up in that helicopter that hovers over the commuter traffic,
updating traffic conditions. Always closing out that little spoken update with the person's own name.

Thus, over the years, I heard the same voice during the radio broadcasts, several times an hour. Only, at one point the person's name changed -- their first name, with the gender change. Before that change, this professional had been on the air, with the CBS radio station, for nineteen years. This post, if this works, will provide a link to one of the news stories on this very public transition.

Kristen Eck, who was born Scott Eck

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Feb 18 - 05:15 PM

For the station's own coverage of this person's transition story,
the story won the station a regional Edward R. Murrow Award in 2017.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Feb 18 - 05:17 PM

It's good to hear that Kristen was able to accomplish that. Maybe we're getting somewhere.
I live near a small town that is quite conservative. There's a trans woman in town who is prominent, well-liked, and highly respected, although I've never heard any discussion about her being trans - and I'm not going to start that discussion. I'm certainly glad that she's accepted.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Feb 18 - 05:20 PM

I made a pronoun mistake at the store when a teenage clerk said "no worries, gender is a tree with many braches"

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Feb 18 - 05:45 PM

for what my opinion is worth,
a significant factor in making this a success story
is about the specific job environment and requirements.
As in: a certain pitch and tone of voice for radio announcers.

Radio broadcasts have always favored voices that are deep and resonant.
When this CBS radio broadcaster began, as Scott Eck,
he had a man's deep voice, and it was also a voice
that was smooth, even, and personable.
This may be true of television broadcasting, I'm not certain;
but in radio, it is definitely true
that the type of voice trumps the gender of the announcer!
How often have you heard a woman announcer on the air
whose voice is a low deep one? In my experience (volunteer work as
an announcer at a classical-music radio station),
women with such throaty, deep voices are much in demand on the radio.

Kristen Eck, I can personally testify, sounds exactly the same
on the air, on my car radio (which is a rotten radio by the way)
as Scott Eck sounded back in the day.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Mrrzy
Date: 22 Feb 18 - 11:40 PM

I have a question - do you think the public is more accepting of a man who used to be considered a woman, or a woman who used to be considered a man? I have an opinion but would like yours.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 12:51 AM

Boy, that's a hard question, Mrr. Personally I know only trans women. I went to a presentation sponsored by the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles a few years ago. The speakers were a trans man and a trans woman, and it was sold out - maybe 500 people attended and many were turned away. The response of the audience was overwhelmingly positive - I didn't hear anything negative about the speakers at all.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: keberoxu
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 01:43 PM

Well, it's flattering to be asked, Mrrzy,
unfortunately the subject is sensitive for me personally and so,
chicken that I am, I avoid it ... I don't have a feel for
how others respond when confronted with gender transition.

What people squawk about in the media is one thing;
I don't think the noisy intolerant voices
necessarily represent those who keep their opinions to themselves.

Personally I would feel most uncomfortable
in the company of strident critics of the transgender solution.
The question is for me an ongoing challenge to grow up and
get to grips with what is really out there.
Thanks for asking though.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: bobad
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 02:31 PM

That's a hard question to answer Mrrzy, a lot depends on the social milieu I would think. I live in a rural area and my neighbour and good friend, who died a few months ago, was a transgendered woman. She was not accepted at her workplace after transitioning and left the job after being subjected to abuse. The city where she was working is a small, blue collar former mill town. While she lived out in the country she felt it prudent to keep a low profile.

On the other hand the daughter of a longtime friend recently transitioned into a man. He is a phd and lives and works in a large metropolitan city. As far as I know he hasn't been subjected to any heavy negativity. The fact that he sports facial hair, and his voice has deepened makes it far less obvious that he is a transitioned male so that may have something to do with it.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Iains
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 02:35 PM

I cannot believe anyone would willingly inflict the process on themselves. Lesbian, Gay, transgender are hardly lifestyle choices.
They are an essential part of a person's genetic makeup, no different from skin colouring or eyecolour. Society is having a hard time transitioning to allow these people the freedom to be themselves. As has been shown on previous posts young people are far more accepting.
Time to recognise the fact that if we are not accepting, then we are the ones with the problem.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: robomatic
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 02:53 PM

This is just a thought experiment:

Suppose the pathways in the brain that make for gender identity were discovered and a treatment were available, maybe simple as a pill subscription, what would adjust the brain to the body, in other words transform a would-be transgender to their biologically assigned cisgender without the need for scalpels, implants, stitches?

What if the medical decision makers made a decision to pay for whichever was least expensive?

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 09:02 PM

Joe, don't forget you may know people who transitioned long ago and just don't bring it up now.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Feb 18 - 02:58 PM

This is where Scott Eck went for support for his transition.

the Fenway Institute

That photography on that webpage is worthy of long, steady scrutiny.
Sometimes pictures really are worth a thousand words.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Senoufou
Date: 24 Feb 18 - 03:52 PM

At the risk of sounding like Iain's faithful 'griot', I wholeheartedly approve of his comment above:
'...if we are not accepting, then we are the ones with the problem.'

I honestly can't see why people make such a hoohah about trangenders. It must take an awful lot of courage, heart-searching and personal distress in order to decide to honour one's own nature and become who one really is. And it does no-one else any harm at all.
I wish them well.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Janie
Date: 25 Feb 18 - 04:47 PM

I think the answer is "it depends."

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Feb 18 - 04:50 PM

What was the question?

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: bobad
Date: 25 Feb 18 - 04:57 PM

Mrrzy asked if the public is more accepting of a man who used to be considered a woman, or a woman who used to be considered a man?

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Feb 18 - 05:00 PM

From 3 days ago - could be. Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: bobad
Date: 25 Feb 18 - 05:02 PM

I'd like to hear Mrrzy's opinion on that.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Feb 18 - 05:17 PM

I would too.

I think, from an outsider point of view, it would be more difficult male to female, if only because you can't undo the deepening of the voice.
I had a friend for at least 5 years, before he said he was trans. I never would've even thought about it.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Senoufou
Date: 26 Feb 18 - 02:57 AM

Depending on where the person lives and works, I should think male to female is the most difficult, since (according to feminists) many women have a harder time in society than men. If a person born a male has become accustomed to enjoying the slightly more privileged life of a man, they'd find things a bit different once they become a woman.
There would be a subtle power shift, and they'd need to adjust to a slight change of treatment in some circumstances.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Mo the caller
Date: 26 Feb 18 - 05:50 AM

I would imagine that being a RADIO announcer would be a whole lot easier than TV announcer. On Radio the only thing that changes is the name. (unless the treatment changes the voice - I an ignorant about the details). On TV there would be endless comments about appearance / clothes / hair etc.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Feb 18 - 10:34 AM

I have personally known 4 individuals who were trans. Three were M->F (one has since died) and one F->M. All were very nice, interesting, intelligent people. My approach to them was always to let their identity be their choice and to to make NO comment on it and to just respond to them as 'people'.
   Because I can have no concept of what it was like to face the world for many years feeling they had to 'wrong body', I simply strive to see them as THEY wish to be seen, even when facial features give evidence of their original gender. The only thing that I worry about is that I might carelessly address them with their original name and cause embarrassment, so I often consciously avoid names.
Gender reassignment is becoming more common as medical technology advances, and if it results in more human being being comfortable with themselves and each other, it is a positive thing.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Feb 18 - 08:58 PM

I graduated from Case Western Reserve University in 1977 -- there was a transgender woman on the adjunct faculty in my department.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Roz
Date: 27 Feb 18 - 04:37 PM

It is pretty well-documented that trans women face a lot of struggles that trans men and trans-masculine people face.

As a trans-masculine person myself, I have definitely had certain struggles that used to be an issue for me lessen or evaporate entirely. I have actually had people tell me in plain language that it makes sense that someone would transition into masculinity/manhood 'because men are superior'.

Additionally, trans women are murdered at a terrifying rate. Five trans women have already been murdered this year in the US alone.

Although being a transmasculine person is certainly no cake walk, I am very aware of the fact that I face less discrimination, violence, and inherent hatred than my trans-feminine friends.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: robomatic
Date: 28 Feb 18 - 07:14 PM

I was very moved and probably made up my mind emotionally about how to behave around this issue by the movie "Boys Don't Cry" in 1999. I don't know many trans folks but I tend to take Bill D's approach from his earlier post. It's nobody's business unless they want it to be.

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Feb 18 - 07:35 PM

wizzy sez: Joe, don't forget you may know people who transitioned long ago and just don't bring it up now.

Yeah, I've thought about it for a few days, and realized that I know many more trans people than I first thought - both women and man.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: public side of gender transition
From: keberoxu
Date: 03 Mar 18 - 12:00 PM

If the link is successful,
you can hear a radio interview/soundbite under two minutes
with the announcer who changed genders.

Introducing Kristen Eck

To this I can only add one punctilious detail.
During a one-on-one interview,
Kristen Eck, the announcer, speaks low, as in conversation.

But the way most of us hear the announcer,
Kristen is up in a helicopter with a headpiece/microphone,
and the speaking voice is raised,
not only in volume, but in pitch.
The difference is one of quality.
The announcements broadcasted demonstrate a higher voice, slightly anyhow.
This is audible at the very very beginning of the soundbite.