Sexiest Cross-Dressing Bank Robber Contest! Cast Your Vote Today!

• Geez' maybe now would be a good time to discuss appropriate pronouns for addressing people or something. You obviously have nothing positive to contribute.

• Oops! You're right. My bad. And I had my name misspelled recently, too....

• Robyn Carolyn Montague would probably be an even better resource than this 'Robyn Caroline Montague' that you recommend.

• Thank you, Chad, for doing that.  I would also suggest removing the tag "shemale thieves" from the post, and educating yourself further on trans issues so that your writing will be more sensitive in the future.  Robyn Caroline Montague of TransHaven is a great resource if you'd like to learn more about issues relevant to the trans community, including what kinds of terms are offensive to the community.

• I think most of the Trangender community is concerned with different pronoun usage. My faux pas of not using the correct possessive pronoun when referencing the particular language that was used in the headline is a great lesson but it was not what I had when I had in mind when I wished for a learning experience. I think it's safe to say that a lot of the transgender community is more concerned with the pronouns used to describe their particular gender identity. That is the lesson that we need to focus on; unless you just prefer to debate the meaning of "it".

• Yeah thanks. I get confused with words like patronizing and patronize too. Are you speaking to me in a patronizing manner or do you just patronize a lonely part of the world where douchey types of people learn to cheapen conversation of a serious topic by dragging the discourse down to nothing more than a forgotten apostrophe? 

• Racism?  Thing? Of course there are black trans people.  One would think that if those crooks were Trans women then they would have dressed as men so as to avoid being searched for as the women they are.  So the logical assumption is that they are men trying to look like women so they won't get caught.  Please explain what I have posted that is racist. 

• You're really pushing it, Thing. Really. Watch the racism, there are black trans people, so cut out the racist crap. Now.

• I'm with you, but: It's = it is Its = belongs to it. Very simple to remember.

• A bulldagger would be superbutch, butcher than Albert Pujols. Get your terms right, Miss Thing.

• And here I thought that making light of violent crime was the offensive part of this post...

• I understand from a mutual friend that Chad Garrison is a good guy and an honest journalist.  His "mea culpa" (e.g. "my bad") is enough for me right now.  He changed the headline (which is often created by an editor and not the author of the piece) and admitted his ignorance of the pejorative used.  I trust he'll be more careful in the future.  

• Thanks Kitty, you bring up another offensive label and the attached attitude.  "Tranny" is another word used in Porn and is also akin to using the "N" word along with "shemale" when it comes to being insulting to many Transgender individuals.  Call the perps...criminals, thieves or suspects, I personally have no problem with most of the accepted terms for crooks.  Being "PC" keeps you from being labeled with the "C" or "B" word for the most part so don't but it down.

• Bill Hannegan....How about losing the beauty pageant aspect attempt at humor and just say "If you see the people pictured walking into your business call the cops." ?  That would make the article a public service instead of taking a swipe at a community that is already marginalized and targeted.

• Chad is a good guy and is always willing to go the extra mile to set things right, even if that means changing a headline a few times. Gurlbidesign, what would be an appropriate headline for this story?

• Live and learn. This can only lead to more personal growth and future sensitivity towards issues that seem foreign. Good start Chad.

• Great Chad.  Putting a new coat of paint on that beat up old Edsel doesn't really add much value to the car.  The whole presentation is offensive and insensitive.  You have now managed to use a more acceptable 'label' of a portion of the Transgender community.  So now  these thieves (who are mearly using presentation as a disguise) are linked to people whom you seem to feel that it is alright to marginalize. 

• In that case transgender would have been a more appropriate description,

• Don't cave in, Chad. You hit the nail on the head. These over-sensitive trannys would be upset no matter what you call the perps...hideous "drag queens" might have been more appropriate, but shemale definitely fits the descriptions of these butch bank robbers. Don't let political correctness get in the way of your reporting!

• They are all most certainly African Americans.  Why wasn't the "N" word casually thrown out there as well?  There is NO excuse for offensive language.  Also....if they WERE Trans women it would be in their best interest to rob in the guise of men.

• Still Chad should have reserved judgement until these criminals were apprehended. Till then it is wrong to saddle the Trans community with charges of bank robbery.

• What if these are not disguises? What if these are real Transgendered women?

• I am absolutely disgusted and appalled! Your ignorance leaves me speechless. If you could spend a day walking in the shoes of a trans identified person I believe you would get a good idea of just how difficult it is for us to step out into an ignorant and hostile world.  And to even go as far as to use the word "shemale".  Leads me to wonder if perhaps our writer spends a little too much time cruising porn sites.  There is just no excuse for this type of insensitive publishing. I will be certain to let everyone I know that this publication belongs as the lining to a birdcage.

• Thanks for enlightening me of my ignorance regarding the use of the term "shemale." I was not aware of its connotation or apparent slight toward the transgendered. I've changed the headline. 

• Chad has finally gone too far! You have to wonder if this is insensitivity or malice on Chad's part.

• Why on earth would a news magazine such as the RFT who allegedly stood for diversity and inclusiveness post something like this? The term 'shemale', like those who said below, shouldn't be used in the modern media, how repulsive.

• I might expect an offensive headline from other media but not the RFT.   Your sad attempt at humor stands to disenfranchise more readers from the GLBTQ and allied community.   I count myself lucky to have friends in the Trans community and am disappointed that you have relegated them to a lower social role.  It's all about respect and equality - something the RFT should be more conscious of in the future. 

• Yep, the term "shemale" is really offensive.  A little sensitivity (or avoidance of outright hostility--ahem) toward the LGBT community from the progressive local paper, how bout? 

• Are you EVEN aware that this 'reporting' and pseudo contest is offensive to the Transgender Community in St. Louis? We risk all; job, housing,even our lives to be our authentic selves. These men in terrible disguises fool no-one and to rate them as "sexiest" is juvenile, ignorant, and offensive. I too thought the RFT was progressive and supportive of St.L.'s diverse community. Your paper isn't worth the price to my self-respect.

• Hopefully the RFT staff can re-evaluate the language used, examine it's impact on folks and use this as a learning experience. I trust that this was an inadvertent slip attributable to ignorance and not an indicator of the attitude of the RFT.

• This is a shameful, transphobic, piece in a paper I have always enjoyed reading.  "Shemale"? Seriously??? You can do better than that, RFT. Come join us in the 21st century.

• Apparently the only criminal action here is the transphobic article you have written, and no doubt reflecting that it reflects a writer without an ounce of class. I had thought better of the Riverfront Times as one reflective of diversity, but apparently you folks failed kindergarten. I would suggest you begin to write articles of which subject you have at least a bit of knowledge, rather than marginalizing the Trans Community with your unadulterated hate. Robyn Carolyn Montague Executive Director TransHaven

• Ok, they are guys trying to disguise themselves.  How about you (the writer and editor) try to show a little sensitivity and class by NOT using a very offensive term that is mainly found in porn?  Those of us in the Trans community already catch enough flak from uneducated prejudiced idiots without your help.

• No sexiness on any of those wanna be drag queens. The Evening Whirl calls women like them Bull Daggers.  Isn't that Eric Vickers in the pink sweats?

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