July 13th, 2011

Katy Perry is at it again, proving once and for all that she deserves a permanent spot on this website’s ScandaList.

“But why?” you might be asking yourself. After all, she did write that Christina Aguilera knock-off to Beautiful – er, I mean, that positive, life-affirming “gay anthem” Firework. Perry’s questionable song choices aside (You’re So Gay, for one), there’s a very strong chance you might not be aware of the many faux pas she’s made with regard to the trans community.

I’m referring to her most recent June 22nd interview with Rolling Stone, where she’s actually quoted saying, “You can’t be a full tranny every day of the week. That’s an exaggerated part of my personality.”

The quote’s referring to her “eccentric” style and stage presence (have you ever heard Gaga refer to herself by that word? No.) but don’t go looking for it in the online version - the offending phrase has been scrubbed clean. If you can grab your own copy of the print version, turn to page 74 and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Perry has successfully exploited and abused the LGBTQ community more times than she’s kissed a girl and liked it, but I can’t say that I’m surprised that she’s throwing the “T” word around. After all, this is the same poser pop “princess” who got in trouble for her transphobic tweet back in 2009. GLAAD (the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) was up in arms over her twit – I mean, tweet – then, but I have yet to see them mobilize against her most recent offense.

Although I’m not surprised by Perry’s use of the offensive word for the trans community, that by no means excuses her actions. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just as firm a believer that gender is performative as the next queer, but Perry suggesting that “tranny-ness” is something one can assume and discard whenever one pleases is flat out disrespectful to all those members of the queer community that do live as trans “every day of the week.”

Perry should just stick to what she’s good at  – shooting icing out of her bra.

POSTED IN: News, Scandalist
TAGS: Katy Perry, music, Offensive, Pop, ScandaList, trans, transgender