The history of searching out - and amplifying - wrongs that exemplify negative stereotypes of minorities has a long and ugly history.
History shows as that in racist societies black men were presented by the media as sexually predatory. In homophobic societies, gay men as paedophiles and lesbians as undesirable. And in anti-semitic societies, Jews as avaricious.
Straight, conforming white people escape because the tactic - of demonising those who cannot speak back - is the preserve of those with power.
This is why the BBC's recent portrayal of trans women as sexually predatory is so profoundly troubling. 
The story takes an attack line of those who seek to restrict the dignities of trans people - that trans women are especially sexually aggressive - and amplifies it.
The story carries nothing approaching data on how prevalent is the conduct. It does not ask whether trans lesbians are more likely to be sex pests than any other group. It is entirely devoid of analytical content.
Putting it shortly, it is anti-trans propaganda. Its publication was a shameful moment for the BBC, a morally wicked act. The piece ought never to have been published. And it is analytically of a class with other historical precedents.
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