Ugh.

[Abraxas]

http://shakespearessister.blogspot.c...letterman.html

Letterman decided to take a cheap shot (ten, actually) at Thomas Beatie on his top ten list. I've never liked Letterman, but I found this to be incredibly insensitive, uninformed, and just plain rude. The words 'androgynous freak show' came into play, for instance.

For those who don't know, Thomas Beatie is a transman who, because his wife couldn't get pregnant, stopped taking testosterone and had artficial insemenation in order to become pregnant. The baby is due on 3 July and Thomas was denied prenatal care by at least one doctor because of his trans status.

To put together this ridiculous list of insults aimed at a group that's already shunned and treated as outcasts by much of society, and is at a staggeringly high risk of being beaten, raped, denied medical care, murdered, and commiting suicide, is dispicable.

To be fair, though, at least Letterman called him a man and used correct gender pronouns, which is more than can be said of a lot of people. Still, the whole thing was just stupid and, while it does bring attention (some positive) toward transgender issues, the lack of education and research behind the subject is ultimately just going to make things worse for transpeople everywhere.


/rant.

(I also complained to CBS, as did a lot of other people, according to the comments on the above link)

[CaptLex]

Thanks for posting this, Benny. I sent CBS a complaint also. Maybe it will do some good . . . or maybe I should just take a short walk crosstown on my lunch hour and give Dave one of these . . .

[Tristan]

I never watch cbs but I filled out a complaint too about it.

[Emily Ann Brown]

Go for it Capt., then check his gonads with your knee for me.

Emily Ann

[ZenFrost]

I filed a complaint as well. Thomas doesn't deserve that crap.

[waspookie6]

As I noticed more television stations are picking up on this (a bit late), the majority are non-biased and I appreciate that.

Letterman however, just gave those that hate anyone who isn't a square peg in a square hole even more reason to continue to disparrage and disregard - it was completely and utterly uncalled for. The writers strike may be over but they aren't making up for it by putting out this crap let alone having a voice many tune into by the tens of thousands to bolster their own discomfort by round pegs out of the square boxes.

Email sent to CBS - don't watch but a few select shows of theirs and that just came to a screeching halt. They need those numbers to keep the arbitron ratings and I hope this shows a downswing for them over this...outragous... public airing of aspiring haters.

PS: Thank you Abraxas for posting this up.

[DemonicDaughter]

And anyone could wonder why I haven't watched television in over fifteen years.... pfft.

[Tamara Croft]

I just posted on that youtube video... seriously... what a mofo so not impressed... people making this into a big fkin joke... grrrrrrrr.........