Newspaper Mocks Trans Couple's Wedding With 'Tran And Wife' Headline
A U.K. newspaper tried to turn a trans couple’s wedding day into a horrible joke with a front-page photograph of the pair and a really offensive headline.
The Sun, one of Britain’s largest papers, headlines its Tuesday article about the nuptials of Army officer Hannah Winterbourne and actor Jake Graf, “Tran and wife.” The cover of the Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid also features pictures of the couple before they transitioned.
Graf called the display “sensationalised and misleading,” while Winterbourne defended their identities, saying she has “always been a woman and Jake has always been a man.” Other people on Twitter denounced the newspaper.
A shame that our beautiful day and a positive article by @Emskibeat has been marred by fairly offensive headlines. I have always been a woman and Jake has always been a man. pic.twitter.com/Hhdfuvt09M
— Hannah Winterbourne (@hannahw253) March 27, 2018
Following such a lovely, positive article from @Emskibeat in today’s @TheSun it’s a real shame that it’s been cheapened by such a sensationalised and misleading headline. @hannahw253 was never a man, as I was never a woman. #trans #fact pic.twitter.com/1lNm3wjb4l
— Jake Graf (@JakeGraf1) March 27, 2018
The couple took no issue with the paper’s article about them, which Graf called “lovely” and “positive.”
Graf told HuffPost UK that he and Hannah “only had the intention of putting out a hopeful, happy and honest story about a couple who happen to be transgender finding love.
“Hopefully that will still be the case and their [The Sun’s] readers will be able to take something good away from it,” he said.
Many people defended the couple on social media:
“Two people who love each other get married” clearly not exciting enough. Sigh.
Congratulations.— Janet - Brixton Hill (@1isthinking) March 27, 2018
Ignoring the headline, which made me so angry! Angry enough I was in tears. I just want to call out how beautiful you looked @hannahw253 and how handsome @JakeGraf1 looked too - massive congratulations ❤️
— Marc Reace-Coles © (@magicreace) March 27, 2018
Ignore them - many congratulations and best wishes for married life together
— Nicky Morgan MP (@NickyMorgan01) March 27, 2018
I’m so sorry. Your UK media never cease to shock me with their callous lack of any human decency. On a positive note, congratulations, I hope you had a lovely day 🎈
— Jo Hirst (@thegenderfairy1) March 27, 2018
Very sorry to see this Hannah. I hope you had a wonderful wedding and wish you both the very for the future. https://t.co/kbdn6C8EIw
— Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) March 27, 2018
Their love is all the more special in spite of the bigotry and outright discrimination they have faced.
Couldn't be happier for you @JakeGraf1 and @hannahw253, congratulations ❤️💍❤️ pic.twitter.com/7nCGWwaK87— Ethan Spibey (@EthanLDN) March 27, 2018
Can't we just leave it at the fact that they are two people who love each other, got married to one another because they want to spend the rest of their lives with one another? I mean...isn't that what we all strive for?? Congratulations 🎊🎈🍾 btw
— Ignatius_Julius (@ignatius_julius) March 27, 2018
Hannah and Jake are a lovely, happy, couple - why is this a front page tabloid story in 2018? Congratulations @hannahw253 and @JakeGraf1 🥂❤️ https://t.co/yK9DW7LE6h
— India Willoughby (@IndiaWilloughby) March 26, 2018
One supporter tweaked the newspaper cover:
I’ve fixed the cover for them. pic.twitter.com/qNYi08vovb
— Sarah O'Connell (@SarahO_Connell) March 27, 2018
The Sun “put this story on a front page in order to celebrate a wonderful modern romance,” a spokesperson for the paper said in a statement to HuffPost UK.
“I want to emphasize that there was no intention to offend, and we wish them both the very best for the rest of their happy lives together,” the spokesperson said. “We are confident that our readers, especially after reading the piece, will join us in wishing them the same.”
The writer of the article, Emma Pietras, did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
