Radio Hosts Mock Transgender People

[L00T]

Story and Audio: http://www.towleroad.com/2014/05/kimbeck.html

""Transgender or gender nonconforming. What the hell does that mean? Like you're not a woman or a man??

"The dude can look like a lady and the city is going to pay for it!" (cue "Dude Looks Like a Lady" music)

"Does that mean then if women want a boob job they'll pay for a boob job because that's only right."

"The services that will be paid for under the new coverage - gender reassignment surgery, PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING, because you're probably a NUTJOB to begin with!"

"It's a slippery slope. Then if some woman can go to a doctor and it'd be proven that she's got mental issues because her rack's not big enough then you know what? she deserves a boob job, Right Kimberly? Or she deserves liposuction."

"Right, IF YOU CAN PROVE YOU'RE A NUT, I guess."

Kimberly and Beck then go on to discuss female trans athletes, including one at a local school, and how they should definitely not be able to play sports...

"When he steps up to the plate, doesn't he have two bats?"

Finally, a woman calls in to tell them "it's incredibly disrespectful towards transgender people. Please don't spread any misinformation especially when you're joking about it."

One of the hosts replies: "Thank you, SIR" as the others laugh."

Listen to the audio on the page above. It's really gross how they mock the listener calling them.

[suzifrommd]

Shockingly ignorant.

And yet, whenever I post about how we need to better educate people about our issues, I get a torrent of pushback.

If we don't make ourselves heard, the only ones that most people will hear are clowns like these.

[HoneyStrums]

Then if some woman can go to a doctor and it'd be proven that she's got mental issues because her rack's not big enough then you know what? she deserves a boob job, Right Kimberly? Or she deserves liposuction."

Can happen, should happen, does happen.

Realy its been happening for ages. Before i knew srs exsisted, I Knew that a woman could get a "boob job" if feelings that hers are not adaquae are causing low self estiem to lead into "depression".

I Mean realy?
How old is that person? Ive knowed this since i was 12. And im sure it was available before then. Men too can get penis enlargment surgeries if low self esteame leads into depression.

And the most moronic thing of all, is that the listener was probably CIS.

[Miss_Bungle1991]

Just your typical couple of ignorant losers. The hell with them and what they think.

[Ltl89]

So glad that I'm not living in upstate NY, though I will thank the city of Rochester for including transcare in their cities health policy.  Let the regressive people complain against our existence, the true outcome of this story is that social progress wins again and will inevitably crush the judgemental mentalities that fight so hard against it.   

[Ltl89]

By the way, this is more about having coverage for simple things like blood work and not "boob jobs".  Of course, having access to prescriptions, doctor's visits and lab work like any other person with insurance is just an insane demand.  And yes, I've been denied these things for being trans and have had many bills for general things that most people don't have to worry about.  Not that they would care about how that impacts their neighbors that happen to be trans.  It's all about trying to be controversial to gather some attention on a dying medium that has one of the fastest rolling doors. 

[L00T]

What is even worse to me is outside of a few LGBT blogs and news sources, this story isn't yet being covered by anyone else in the media. Replace transgender with most other minorities with similar juvenile and hateful jokes and those three radio hosts would have lost their job by now. Sad.

[Wolfy]

I shot them an email and left the manager a voice mail. I found this very ignorant. It honestly made me cringe and feel disgusted. I believe everyone should shoot an email over to get a point across.

[Adam (birkin)]

Ugh, shame on them. How ignorant. I guess they were just trying to get cheap laughs.

[Jess42]

Well I won't use the dreaded word, unladylike and plus don't want the mods to ban me, but they know what they can go do with themselves and the horses they rode in on if they can get off of their high horses long enough. What a couple of losers. What I could say about the way they look, but again unladylike behavior.

[L00T]

Here is a tweet from Kimberly (the female radio host):

Kimberly @Kimberly989buzz
Freedom of Speech includes the freedom to offend others. You aren't granted a right to not be offended in this life #getoverit #ROC

As you can see, she's just so very sorry for her actions. She's right. I'm not granted the right to not be offended in life. But I am granted the right to mail and call all of her higher ups and sponsors and let them know just how much money I will no longer be spending with them if they continue to support such bigotry. #sorryboutit

Oh look. Here is an email list of some 98.9 The Buzz staff that I and others can express our opinions to...

Sue Munn
VP/General Manager
smunn@entercom.com

Bob Barnett
Ops Manager
bbarnett@entercom.com

Mike Danger
Program Director
danger@entercom.com

Mike Johnson
Director of Sales
mjjohnson@entercom.com

[Ltl89]

I have no interest in getting them fired or trying to censor her speech.  She's free to say what she wants.  What I am entitled to is a reaction and the ability to criticize their opinions.  I wish people would see that this really isn't about a bunch of people looking for free rides on cosmetic procedures.  There is much more involved in transhealth concerns that is often denied to us like blood work, prescriptions, and covered doctor's visits.  Medical coding often hurts us in a big way, and medical bills aren't cheap in this country.  Any other person attending there doctors for basic care would be covered.  Why must we be excluded?  Personally, I can understand why some may feel concerned about paying for cosmetic procedures and don't mind those concerns being brought up as it's not so clear cut.  But must you mock your fellow neigbors by calling them "nut jobs"?.  It's the total disregard of other people going through a really tough thing that disgusts me.  In closing, you're free to say what you want, but you can't silence criticism for your views when you are a public figure.   

[Miss_Bungle1991]

I have no interest in getting them fired or trying to censor her speech.  She's free to say what she wants.  What I am entitled to is a reaction and the ability to criticize their opinions.  I wish people would see that this really isn't about a bunch of people looking for free rides on cosmetic procedures.  There is much more involved in transhealth concerns that is often denied to us like blood work, prescriptions, and covered doctor's visits.  Medical coding often hurts us in a big way, and medical bills aren't cheap in this country.  Any other person attending there doctors for basic care would be covered.  Why must we be excluded?  Personally, I can understand why some may feel concerned about paying for cosmetic procedures and don't mind those concerns being brought up as it's not so clear cut.  But must you mock your fellow neigbors by calling them "nut jobs"?.  It's the total disregard of other people going through a really tough thing that disgusts me.  In closing, you're free to say what you want, but you can't silence criticism for your views when you are a public figure.

Yeah, they have the right to say what they want. Therefore, I have the right to tell them that they suck. As far as that goofy "ladylike" argument.  Give me a break. Sometimes, my mom and one of my aunts pulls that stupid card out and attempt to play it. BUT it ONLY comes up in regards to ME. NONE of the women in my family are truly ladylike. Hell is going to freeze over before that ever happens.

As far as the medical coding issue is concerned. I have almost never had any issues with this and I've had plenty of things covered. (Doctors and hospitals want to be paid, after all.) The only time this wasn't the case was when the dorks at the insurance company stopped covering my E on the grounds that there was a "mismatch" between my gender marker and ID. This was total BS on their part, of course. They saw no issue with covering my E when I had a MALE name. Which made no sense. Once I changed my name, they told me I wasn't going to have my E covered anymore. It was completely moronic. Once I had my orchi (which was covered since it was coded as a male procedure. Even though I had a female legal name). I was allowed to change my gender marker to the "F" and then they resumed covering my E again.

It didn't make much sense.

[Sydney_NYC]

There is a petition to remove them from the show. I find what they said extremely offensive and it should be dealt with in some way. An apology or removed from the show I believe should be in order. I believe in free speech, but the things they said go beyond expressing their beliefs. Their comments serve no purpose other than to spread ignorance and hate.

[KayCeeDee]

They've been suspended indefinitely.
https://twitter.com/989thebuzz/status/469277642852925440

[L00T]

They've been suspended indefinitely.
https://twitter.com/989thebuzz/status/469277642852925440

Wow. I like that they said it as a strong statement too. Good for that station for getting on that so fast.

[suzifrommd]

Replace transgender with most other minorities with similar juvenile and hateful jokes and those three radio hosts would have lost their job by now. Sad.

^^^^
THIS

Though we really have only ourselves to blame. The reason why hate against people of color, the latino community, and even the gay community are not social unacceptable is because those folks made it that way. They spoke out each and every time something ignorant or hateful was said about their community. They raised Cain every time someone in the media portrayed them inaccurately.

Our community, however, seems to have a very fatalistic attitude. Haters are going to hate and education is useless, confronting ignorance is a waste of time, speaking out against hateful/ignorant/inaccurate portrayals is sinking to their level or not being able to take a joke, etc.

[Jess42]

Having freedom of speech will offend others, Definately no way around that. They can say what they want and whoever it offends, oh well. But, they actually humiliated a caller whcih you could classify as a verbal attack. Everything else I found offensive but it was their opinions and they are free to say them out loud. So no they shouldn't be fired for that. But humiliating the caller, oh yeah.

[Ltl89]

^^^^
THIS

Though we really have only ourselves to blame. The reason why hate against people of color, the latino community, and even the gay community are not social unacceptable is because those folks made it that way. They spoke out each and every time something ignorant or hateful was said about their community. They raised Cain every time someone in the media portrayed them inaccurately.

Our community, however, seems to have a very fatalistic attitude. Haters are going to hate and education is useless, confronting ignorance is a waste of time, speaking out against hateful/ignorant/inaccurate portrayals is sinking to their level or not being able to take a joke, etc.

I think there is a balance here.  On the one hand, we are free to speak up against ignorant statements with our own free speech in retaliation.  On the otherhand, we could try to enforce a mindset that everyone must subscribe to without penalization, including the loss of their livelihood.  As much as I dislike the statements and wish views like that could be reduced, I'd rather win the debate through conversation rather than force.  Education is a great thing, but we shouldn't be the pc police forcing sensitivity training on everyone who disagrees with us.  We are free to speak up and try to change society and help nurture a more compassionate atmosphere, but we can't force people into our camp and it does more harm than good in the end.  That being said, businesses and their sponsors also have the right to decide who they wish to represent them.  Should they choose to go one way or the other, it's their right and it isn't a violation of the first amendment. 

[Eva Marie]

Having freedom of speech will offend others, Definately no way around that. They can say what they want and whoever it offends, oh well. But, they actually humiliated a caller whcih you could classify as a verbal attack. Everything else I found offensive but it was their opinions and they are free to say them out loud. So no they shouldn't be fired for that. But humiliating the caller, oh yeah.

Yes, they are free to say whatever they want within the confines of the law - "Kimberly" is absolutely right that she has the right to be offensive.

What she missed is that she was being offensive on the company clock, and her employers are subject to community backlash. There are still boundaries that exist at all times on your rights (ie: you can't go into a theater and yell "fire"), and she and her cohort crossed the line. Obviously the employers were worried about advertisers or they got enough criticism from people that action had to be taken. Perhaps a member of management is trans or has a trans relative or is an ally - who knows?

I personally am glad that consequences happened decisively and quickly. The times are changing and singling out minority groups for ridicule simply to elect laughs from people is boorish and is becoming less and less tolerated by society.

Bigotry is never in style, especially on the public airwaves.