Lynda Whitehead says she feels her credibility and reputation have been tarnished The President of Agender has resigned after being criticised over comments she made three years ago about a picture of someone cleaning in a kinky maid’s uniform. “Over the last few days Agender and my leadership have been called into question,” Lynda Whitehead says in a post to group members yesterday. “I have endured a number of attacks accordingly. This morning a photograph was posted in which I was seen to comment in a favourable way on a picture that was posted three years ago by a friend, who isn't a member of Agender by the way.” The image, posted on her friend’s publicly open Facebook page, is a shot from behind of someone in a maid’s outfit bending over and cleaning: Whitehead responded that she should perhaps get such an outfit. The comment was made before she was Agender President. She says she feels her credibility and reputation have been tarnished, so she is resigning. Kelly Ellis says Agender needs to lose the hyper-sexualised, hyper-feminised image if it wants credibility The screenshot of the image and comment was posted on Agender’s Facebook page by Kelly Ellis, a well-known lawyer and trans rights activist. She stands firmly by her actions. "Lynda has made a point stressing that she wanted to bring a new era of professionalism and advocacy to Agender,” she says. "I was not the only one to raise issues of its historic sleazy image. This had been the topic of hot debate for a week with some of us stressing the need to lose the hyper-sexualised, hyper-feminised image if Agender wanted credibility as an advocacy organisation. “This public domain pic, with a bent over maid and an approving comments from the President was the kind of thing we were talking about. "Rather than simply deleting her comment, she chose to resign. Go figure.” “I tried to keep this within the group because it's not beneficial to have it dragged out in public where the likes of Family First might see it. "Trying to keep this private, I think, was very important and I'm sad to see it blow up publicly with a resignation.” There has been a divide among members of the organisation about its public image. Recently, Agender has publicly focused on pushing seriously for transgender rights, and has gained traction in the mainstream media this year – particularly on the back of the attention to transgender issues sparked by the high profile transition of Caitlyn Jenner. However recently there has been friction because some also want it to embrace and support kink and fetish. Ellis says she does not hold herself out as a ‘paragon of virtue’ by any means, but says public figures are subject to scrutiny. She is blaming a group of cross-dressers in Christchurch as being an “embarrassment” to those trying to advocate for the broader community. “They're getting in the way of the fight for trans equality,” she says.Recently Agender hosted what was described as a “kinky afternoon” at a cafe in Christchurch, sparking concerns such rhetoric could undermine its public image. One of those who spoke out about that event is Lexie Matheson, who was the group’s Auckland spokeswoman. She says Agender isn't about sexuality and sexual expression in the trans community, but support and advocacy. “I've got no problem with people expressing themselves and their sexual orientation however they like but it's totally at odds with Agender's stated kaupapa,” she says. Meanwhile, Whitehead has thanked those who have supported what she was trying to achieve. “The folks who published this pic say that my character and image should be beyond reproach, I hope that they are as squeaky clean as they insist I should have been and God help anyone else,” she says. “I will miss the advocacy work I was involved with, I love and still feel passionately about trans issues, however I fear for the future of the movement in New Zealand following these latest events. “I wish the new President all the best will do my best to support them.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 3rd September 2015 - 9:29am