OPINION
I am finding it hard to believe that still we are fighting for such simple things like fairness in everyday life. You would not see a headline in a newspaper read “Straight Prime Minister Tony Abbott cracks down hard on un-vaccinated children.”
If we were to see this, I am sure that society would be up in arms over the need to say straight in this way. So why should we accept it?
Reading the local Subiaco newspaper “The Post”, I came along an article on page five where the title, in my eyes, didn’t capture the articles main story line.
“Gay blade held account.”
It did grab my attention. But when I finished reading the article I thought the title should have been different.
Gay blade, originating from a Zorro movie, is used as a slang term for flamboyant gay male. Yet this article was based around a police officer who had gone undercover in a bank to catch a local Perth man.
The story starts off with “the Wembley police station acting officer in charge caught a man who allegedly left a 30cm kitchen knife in the arm of his boyfriend. The story then proceeded to go into detail about how the officer, went undercover dressed a bank teller for a day, and after missing the man in question, returned the next day as a mortgage broker, and how this had ended with the person being apprehended.
I asked the Post Newspaper why the descriptive word of ‘gay’ was used in the title when we can read on to find out that he was in a same sex relationship, yet we never see ‘straight attacker’ in the headlines.
The sub-editor responded with:
You are quite right; we would not use the term “straight attacker” in a headline because it would be unexceptional. The term “gay blade” denotes a young man who, historically, went about armed with a blade. In the story, a young man has evidently used a blade on another man.
The term “gay blade” gives the reader that information, and the reference is supported by the fact both men are evidently “gay” in the modern sense.
The nature of their relationship is relevant to understand the events. By such clues, headline writers guide the reader towards the essence of the story.
My response back to the sub-editor as I am still not set on the reason behind this title is below
The article in question was based around a police officer who dressed as a bank employee to catch Mr Cowling. 27 words in the first sentence state what the offender had done, to whom and the nature of their relationship. Were as the rest of the article is about a police officer and what he did to apprehend Mr Cowling.
Other than the fact the offender was in a same sex relationship that you clearly state in the first 27 words of the story how is it acceptable that “gay” is used but would be redundant if the person was “straight” since you have informed me of the unexceptional need to use “straight” in a headline.
As of yet I have not had a return email from the post.
BJ Shelford
The Subiaco Post was contacted for comment at confirmed that BJ Shelford’s letter is scheduled to be published in the next edition.
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I’m so absolutely disgusted at “The Post”, with reference to their utterly disgraceful and prejudicial use of language in their title!! The fact that the man was gay was NOT at all exceptional, and was NOT note worthy by any means! In my opinion, it was offensive! They were reporting on an incident. Not the gender orientation of either of the men! Yes, they had to explain that the officer was apprehending his partner’s attacker, but that relationship status was not warranted in the title at all! I’m very impressed that BJ Shelford has taken the time and effort to passionately point that out!! It is articles like this one which are encouraging such disgraceful hatred and hostility amongst the community, towards same sex relationships! It is this kind of sly wording which fuels homophobia! Thank you BJ Shelford, for trying to right this wrong! I would be interested to see “The Post” back-peddle their argument, and retract their article with an apology for such prejudice!
Kudos to you Bj Shelford!