Australian newspaper under fire for Scarlett Johansson ‘tr**ny’ headline

An Australian newspaper is under fire for a headline employing a transphobic slur.

Sydney’s Murdoch-owned Sunday Telegraph had carried a report on actress Scarlett Johansson dropping out of a film where she was set to play a transgender man.

The headline for the piece read: “Scarlett dumps tr**ny role.”

The Sunday Telegraph headline

The newspaper came under fire on Twitter for the headline, due to the use of the slur – which is considered deeply offensive by many transgender people.

Prominent trans footballer Hannah Mouncey wrote: “Seriously @dailytelegraph??? Like, actually? Two sundays in a row you’ve printed vile, transphobic rubbish.

“Replace that word with another similarly racist or homophobic term and see if it makes it to print. This is never ok, it’s appalling, and the editor needs to be sacked.”

“The level at which trans people are so willingly publicly vilified by those with a privileged, high profile platform is unfathomable.

“48% of trans people have made suicide attempts, if this behaviour continues, count yourself partly responsible for these unnecessary deaths.”

Australian actor and LGBT activist Harry Cook wrote: “Seriously, @dailytelegraph ? Are you fucking serious with this shit? Garbage bin fire of a newspaper.

• Dec 01

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