Transsexual sports writer Mike Penner dead at 52

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

Veteran Los Angeles Times sports writer Mike Penner, who attracted national attention when he announced two years ago that he was a transsexual and was changing his name to Christine Daniels, has died at age 52, the Times reported on its Web site.

The newspaper said Saturday Penner was found dead at his Los Angeles home and the cause of death was believed to be suicide. The date of death was not given.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/28/sports/s110535S47.DTL&tsp=1

[Cirque du So-What]

1. How sad

I'm not familiar with this person, but my sympathies to family & friends. Life is tough, and society makes sure that gender-identity issues always make life even harder.

[Taverner]

2. At least she had 2 years living as herself

Some people don't get even that

[tonysam]

4. Technically, Penner wasn't a "transsexual"; he never had the surgery.

Note this article from earlier this year in USA Today:

The day Mike Penner left the Los Angeles Times made the news. The longtime sportswriter wrote the article himself, a personal essay explaining that he was taking some time off and, upon his return, he would be known from then on as Christine Daniels.
Penner's public acknowledgment in April 2007 that he was transgender and would soon live as a woman shocked the world of sports journalism and turned his new identity, Daniels, into an instant celebrity. Daniels gave speeches, was profiled in Sports Illustrated, collected honors for courage from transgender groups and wrote a blog for the Times titled "Woman In Progress."

Except that the transition didn't last. In mid-October 2008, after a lengthy leave of absence, Penner, 51, returned to the sports pages and the Times newsroom as a man.

More

[Gormy Cuss]

13. Interesting link, but Penner was a transsexual unless after his return he claimed that he wasn't.

Surgery isn't required, only self-identification with a gender inconsistent with your external genitalia.

[Techn0Girl]

14. The problem with self-definition is ....

that a great many transvestites ostensibly "self-identify" as transsexual in the belief that a "medical condition" is more accepted than a sexual fetish. The proper term for a person who lives different to their birth sex bit does not seek surgery is "transgendered".

It's very difficult to classify who is or is not a transsexual but in practice you tend to know who is a man or a woman , transsexual or not, when you meet them.

[Gormy Cuss]

16. Check a dictionary definittion.

Transsexual is also a proper term, although transgender may be easier to understand.

[Techn0Girl]

17. Dupe (disregard)

Dupe

[Techn0Girl]

18. I did check

Because whenever I want to check on psychological information I always use a dictionary.

In fact when I went to college - I never used a textbook or looked at any journal articles. A dictionary was all I needed - that and Wikipedia.

Well anyway I checked and looked up your name as well.
It said that you were always wrong.

[Gormy Cuss]

20. That's what you get for relying on Wikipedia.

A psychological definition of a term is always the same as common usage. In fact, there's no reason to even mention that a psychological definition exists. Words always mean the same thing in every context.

[One_Life_To_Give]

26. Fetish?

Sounds like more of the old "Settling" argument applied to anyone who is "less than" Pre/Post-Op.
Can we really say that Aubrey Frost was a Fetishist up until 6 months ago? How about Betty Crow and her decision to not have SRS?

Terms reek of a Classism with the TG community. That somehow one form is more acceptable than another. Does such a small community really need to further fracture itself?

[Fearless]

3. See what happens when people don't get the validation they need.

Too sad.

:(

[avaistheone1]

12. I am surprised.

I thought Mike had a lot of validation. From what I read the Los Angeles Times strongly supported him, so did his readers. They were very loyal. I don't know about his family and the outside world though.

[Fearless]

19. Validation by family and so on...

Is vastly more important than faceless readers unfortunately. Undoubtedly if he received the support he needed, he wouldn't have done what he did.

[Techn0Girl]

21. We really don't know anything about this man ...

or why he did what he did. All we have is a short newspaper article.

Regarding validation - you have the choice of either validating yourself or relying on the validation of others. One is a sure thing and the other is a crapshoot.

Trying to change gender identity very late in life is a very difficult thing. People who do something like this in their fifties have to be looked at very closely regarding their motivations and their life plans by appropriate professionals- or their success will be very problematical.

[Fearless]

23. I would counter and say that support from others is always vital.

Perhaps he had other demons as well. But as for unsupportive culture in a drastic and important life-decision, it's just plain sad.

[Morning Dew]

24. I guess I don't regard 50 as "very late in life"

Further, "appropriate professionals" often have their own prejudices regarding "T" people.

[Techn0Girl]

15. Perhaps....

this is what happens when they don't get the counseling that they need?

[xultar]

5. She was very pretty. Rip Christine.

[AlbertCat]

6. Forgive me but...

... I didn't know there were transsexual sports.

Who writes headlines these days????

It's always a shame when someone commits suicide. We all sorta assume it has something to do with his identity crisis, but you don't know...


But cheesus...what a headline. It's like "CHILDREN MAKE DELICIOUS SNACKS"

[skyounkin]

9. No kidding,

and please- she was Christine- not Mike.

Idiots.

[avaistheone1]

11. Um...he died as Mike.

He went back to his identity as Mike at the time of his death.

[sgsmith]

7. Found the day after Thanksgiving

I wonder if holiday and/or family issues was the final straw.

I know that one of my brothers refuses to have anything to do with me because of my transition. And the Thanksgiving dinner was full of nothing but "boy name" references to me. Sigh.

[glinda]

8. I am sorry. Your life, I hope in other ways, is supported. I feel very sad that sometimes

people do not understand and more sad that you carry that sadness. I support you. :>)

[avaistheone1]

10. I am sorry about the news.

Mike sounded like a good likeable person both as Mike and Christine.

RIP

[babydollhead]

22. my nephew is 20 and is becoming my neice

our family is supportive and loving to her. The kid takes estrogen and is growing breasts. no talk of surgery. She is attracted to women, and wants to be a woman. She hates men.

[tonekat]

25. Suicide is the leading cause of death among Transgenders

31% of the identified demographic is the figure you see. I'm saddened to hear this news, she had (I thought) such a good start, and her article about her experience gave me the impression that she was comfortable with her new role. But I know how depression over things that seem insignificant to others can be a destructive force, regardless of how much positive support you are getting.