New York Times Crossword Author DARES use the Word “Deadname” Without Being a Trans!!!
But he apologizes>
My sincere thanks to the crossword constructors Jenna LaFleur and Lisa Bunker for guiding me on how to approach the entry DEADNAME. Though it’s a sensitive answer, I believe it’s noteworthy and deserves a place in the Times crossword; Jenna and Lisa agreed. If I were making this puzzle today, I’d probably pass on it out of deference to transgender constructors whose voices would give the entry more value than I could. I’m a cisgender person without the experiences of being misgendered or deadnamed. Jenna and Lisa directed me to a clue that hopefully frames the entry in a positive light for transgender solvers and makes them feel seen, while reminding all solvers to respect the names and pronouns of others.
Unfortunately, I don’t know of many transgender constructors actively working today, and although mainstream crosswords have trended toward more diverse representation in some domains, references to transgender people, communities and ideas have yet to be seen in mainstream puzzles with enough regularity to suggest that transgender representation is a conscious priority. (If, as a 2016 analysis suggests, 0.6 percent of the U.S. population identifies as transgender, then at least 0.6 percent of crossword clues with cultural anchoring, or 1 in 167 clues, should feature transgender people or concepts. A week’s worth of Times puzzles includes, on average, 583 clues.) Transgender constructors like Jenna and Lisa are certainly leading the way in independent venues such as the Indie 500, Crucinova and Queer Qrosswords. I hope their work inspires other transgender, nonbinary and queer folks to give constructing a try. And for what it’s worth, my DMs are open on Twitter @sid_sivakumar as a crossword friend and ally.
| by Anonymous | reply 27 | September 12, 2021 5:14 PM
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God, their lives must be exhausting.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | September 11, 2021 8:25 PM
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At least he had the sense to pre-apologize.
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | September 11, 2021 8:27 PM
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[quote]and although mainstream crosswords have trended toward more diverse representation in some domains, references to transgender people, communities and ideas have yet to be seen in mainstream puzzles with enough regularity to suggest that transgender representation is a conscious priority.
WHAT?!
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | September 11, 2021 8:40 PM
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11 down: a nano-minority that wants to dismantle the world.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | September 11, 2021 8:44 PM
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This just fucking ludicrous bullshit.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | September 11, 2021 8:46 PM
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3 Across: Mental Illness Abbreviation, beginning with T.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | September 11, 2021 8:49 PM
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R3–It can be difficult to apologize eloquently when you’re not sure what you’ve done wrong. It makes the pre-apology all the more impressive.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | September 11, 2021 11:10 PM
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Wait, so they can label us cisgender without our consent, but we can't use the word deadname without their permission?
What kind of fucked up fantasy land are these people living in, and why do people keep humoring them?
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | September 11, 2021 11:17 PM
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TODAY'S THEME: DROP THE 'Y'
47 Across: Arbitrary use of power
Solution: T(Y)RANNY
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | September 11, 2021 11:28 PM
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Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus.
I legit thought the world was LITERALLY going to crash into the ocean if this grievous, outrageous SIN wasn't rectified.
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | September 12, 2021 3:48 AM
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The pendulum will swing back to normal eventually. Won't it?
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | September 12, 2021 4:02 AM
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R9–No Transperson objected. The author just ASSUMED that his use if the word would be offensive to someone. So he groveled for forgiveness for some imagined sin. That's what we’ve come to.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | September 12, 2021 5:04 AM
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I thought that the Trans activists wanted the new word "deadname" to become common usage. For that to happen, they have to let cispeople use it.
I mean, duh.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | September 12, 2021 7:35 AM
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I never heard or saw that word. Thanks for educating me, DL.
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | September 12, 2021 1:34 PM
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r12 lordy let's hope so. One of my students last semester listed her pronouns as "he/she/they"
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | September 12, 2021 1:39 PM
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R16, let's hope she was making a joke. Otherwise, she's horribly confused about her sexuality and/or the English language.
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | September 12, 2021 1:47 PM
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Don't Transpeople ever get tired of being perceived as just that weak?
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | September 12, 2021 1:47 PM
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It was not a joke, r18. Our university now allows one to pick their pronouns and lists "he/they" and "she/they" (and "ze/they" and "she/ze", etc) among the options.
"She/they" is having a moment.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | September 12, 2021 1:51 PM
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You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t with these folks
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | September 12, 2021 2:02 PM
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R21, how much longer before you can retire? Your tongue must be sore from biting it by now.
| by Anonymous | reply 24 | September 12, 2021 2:08 PM
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Thje funny thing is, for all their decrying of privilege in other areas, the people who indulge this nonsense never admit the obvious: having a life in which you can expend outrage on things like deadnaming is, by definition, a rather privileged life.
I doubt inmates in a North Korean labor camp or Filopino "workers" trapped in the Gulf States wax philosophical about their pronouns.
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | September 12, 2021 3:09 PM
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