A skilled investigative journalist will dive into their story, uncover all of the facts and present the truth to the public. Reporters are applauded for their commitment to a story and unwillingness to give up, but how far is too far? At what point is it best to leave a story alone?
After one reporter dug too deep, Essay Anne Vanderbilt committed suicide when she realized her darkest secret was about to be published in the news.
Caleb Hannan, a writer for Grantland Magazine, headed a personal investigation behind the “Magic Putter,” a scientifically superior golf club that dramatically increased one’s chances of properly putting a golf ball, invented by a mysterious woman named Dr. V (Vanderbilt). What began as an investigation of her credentials (a supposed MIT graduate with ties to the CIA) led to a discovery about Dr. V’s personal history.
Hannan discovered Dr. V. was born a man. As a result, Hannan’s article’s focus shifted from Dr. V’s professional credentials to her gender identity and history.
It is nobody’s right to decide if or when somebody else comes out of the closet. Raychel Lorren, the president of James Madison University’s Madison Equality Club, an organization dedicated to the equal treatment of the LGBTQ community, is disgusted by Grantland’s decision to run the article.
“The whole situation is terrible. An individual’s credibility as a professional has nothing to do with their gender identity or expression,” said Lorren, a senior health sciences major. “The average lifespan of transgender individuals is 36 years old because of the prevalence of murder and suicide among their community; why aren’t we talking about how to increase this number?”
Dr. V. implored Hannan against publishing the article, telling him he was about to commit a hate crime. Following Hannan’s refusal to back down, Dr. V. took her own life and Grantland proceeded to publish the article.
According to thebiglead.com, Gerri Jordan, Dr. V’s ex-girlfriend and business partner, “blamed fear about the Grantland article for ‘90 percent’ of the timing of her suicide,” although she does not blame Hannan himself.
For a heterosexual cisgender to make the decision that others need to be informed of an individual’s sexuality is irresponsible, offensive and tragic. It is nearly impossible for one who has never struggled with sexuality or gender identity to make the executive decision on behalf of another person. To live your life feeling as though you are trapped in the wrong body must be difficult enough, and it could only be more stressful when your struggle is broadcast to the entire world.
There should be some sort of a legal penalty for wronging another individual in that way. Hannan and/or Grantland should be charged with manslaughter, at least. This action cannot go on unnoticed.
UT junior government and world affairs major Rich Harrington agreed. “It’s absolutely unacceptable. You never know what stage people are in when accepting their sexual identity. Some people are deeper in the closet than others,” Harrington said.
I empathize with Essay Vanderbilt, for I too was forced out of the closet by another person. In the tenth grade, I was jumped by two fellow students because of my sexuality. I was later confronted by the school’s assistant principal, who told me that the attack was my fault because of my “decision to live an abnormal lifestyle.”
A few days after the incident, I was called into his office to talk about the situation once more. My mother and my aunt were sitting at his desk. “You have to tell them the whole story,” the principal told me. “And if you don’t tell them, then I will.”
It was then that my principal told my mother that I was gay. Rather than letting me tell her when I was comfortable, he made the decision for me, thus never allowing me to come out on my own terms. What Essay Vanderbilt must have gone through, to me, is still unfathomable.
So, why is it that others believe they have the right to release information about one’s sexuality? There should be no desire to share such information about another person, because that information is not vital to anyone but the specific individual.
Grantland has since issued an apology on behalf of Hannan, blaming “ignorance about the Trans community” as its reason for posting the article. Unfortunately, no such apology will bring Essay Vanderbilt back to life. No apology will undo the damage of the article.
Fortunately, there is hope. The media attention this article has received is helping all to understand how to address the Trans community and how to do their best to be as accepting as possible.
To all, this should be a lesson in the severity of dealing with sexuality and gender identity. Be kind, be respectful and be as helpful as you can. Your compassion could save a loved one, or a stranger’s, life.
Terrence Preston can be reached at terrence.preston@spartans.ut.edu