"Talk show host David Letterman called Thomas Beatie, the trans man who is 5 month pregnant, an "androgynous freak show" during his CBS Late Night show Tuesday night.

On every show, Letterman presents a Top 10 list about some current affair and last night it was "10 messages left on Thomas Beatie's answering machine." (See clip below.)

Rounding out the Top 10 list was: "Michael Jackson here ... We just wanted to reach out to another 'androgynous freak show.'"

Shakesville suggests people contact CBS and let them know you aren't laughing:"

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I have contacted CBS. 
this is what I said:

Quote"Talk show host David Letterman called Thomas Beatie, the trans man who is 5 month pregnant, an "androgynous freak show" during his CBS Late Night show Tuesday night."

I find this hateful and sickening.

To atone for this bigoted remark which openly and cruelly mocks 600,000 transgender Americans, and the family members and friends who support them, Mr. Letterman should invite Mr. Beatie onto the show, apologise to him and ask forgiveness from him and from transgendered Americans.

Nice response, Karen.

   I sent this one.  It doesn't have the bite you have, though.

QuoteHi,

   I happen to be transgendered, but even if I weren't, I don't think I appreciate Letterman using the word Freak in reference to a person who may be different.

   Being transgendered is different for each of us who are born this way.  The person Letterman mocked is a MAN who just happens to have a condition that allowed him to become pregnant. I guess that might be funny to people in general because the general population is uneducated in gender concepts to begin with.  For those of us who live with gender issues and have had to overcome the difficulties thrust upon us by this culture we live in, it is not so funny.

   I understand humor and jokes, but the world is mean enough without a person who has a big audience furthering stereotypes and encouraging those bigots out there who seek confirmation that their prejudices are acceptable.

 
Please have a nice day.

Rebecca

I signed with my femme de plume.

I will probably get a lot of flack from this but here it goes. I'm really offended by Mr. Beattie as he never changed his gender. He may be a guy but he still has his ovaries and the womb to grow a child. This is all natural and he should by all means try to have a child if that is what he wants. This is not unusual in the world. To go to the media and say that he is the first man to bore a child is rediculous. I don't like the comments that were made and they shouldn't stoop so low but should be telling the truth here. How many of us transwomen have sired children. I know there are a lot of us out there. When a woman who is born with male genitalia give birth to a child then I will be amazed and happy. When a man who is born with female genitalia and sires a child I will be equally amazed and in both cases, I'm sure it will happen in the future.
Sheila

Quote from: Sheila on April 03, 2008, 01:02:11 PM
I will probably get a lot of flack from this but here it goes. I'm really offended by Mr. Beattie as he never changed his gender. He may be a guy but he still has his ovaries and the womb to grow a child.

Maybe just a little flack, lol. 

Why are you offended by him? I don't want a hysterectomy or the lower surgery either. I just don't want it but there are countless transmen who don't get the lower surgery because results are not good. Also in countries without nationalized healthcare, such as the US, the lower surgery for men is too expensive for most people. We're talking 50-100 grand with multi-stage surgery and months in between to recoop. Also, hystos are very expensive and not covered for transmen. So, it's different for us.

And the need for a biological child is strong in some, apparently strong enough for some men to bear a child if they have the equipment anyhow.

Don't know Mr. Beattie's story, really so no idea what compelled him to go public with this, if that is in fact the case.

People still watch David Letterman?



I must say I'm decidedly ambivalent to this topic, and the level of sensationalism just drives me even more towards indifference.

I quit watching letterman a hundred years ago.

I am ignoring the media stuff too, but I can't turn down an opportunity to chide some beefhead who has everything he ever wanted for picking on someone for being born differently.

Well, in the recent interview with Oprah, he says that most people in the community have rejected him and that those who seemed to be empathetic with his pregnancy tried to convice him not to go public, making comments such as  "The world is not ready for something like this", but as he says, the desire to bear a child is not male or female but human, and I agree.

tink

I sent one. Nothing special, but I sent one.

I forgot.  I did send a complaint email as well.  I don't like four-eye morons anyway, and I admit publicly that I have never liked his show.  I'd rather watch Leno.   

tink

I don't slight the man who wants to have a child. That is not what makes this so offensive. He is trying to say that he is a man and he is pregnant. I guess this statement is true but the facts are, he still has female organs and he can conceive just like any other female. I know that most "transmen" can't have the surgery and I understand that. That wasn't my point. If a "transwoman" didn't want to do anything to their fertility, would that be that a woman can sire children too. It has been done all ready. This is not news. This is tabloid fodder. I put the transmen and transwoman in quotes as I really don't like those terms as I think of them as men and women.

Hi Sheila,

   I understand what you're saying.  I thought I understood it the first time, but I think you explain it better the 2nd time.  I don't think it should be sensationalized either.  I'll bet it's happened in the past but just didn't catch the public eye like it has now.

   In a way, it may bring a greater understanding to the genpop (general population) in that they will learn aspects of the Trans condition that they might not otherwise have gotten for years to come.

   I'm certainly not suggesting that it will open the eyes of everyone and all that, but a better informed public will help in the long run.

   Let's face it, the one experience we can all agree upon is that once something is out there, it's out there forever.  Maybe this situation is a form of outing for us all as a group in the way that each of us has to go through our individual coming out process.


Rebis

Quote from: Kaelin on April 03, 2008, 05:26:42 PM
People still watch David Letterman?



I must say I'm decidedly ambivalent to this topic, and the level of sensationalism just drives me even more towards indifference.

I honestly don't think him, Conan, and Leno are funny in the least. They're just narcissistic people with no sense of humor in the least who have a fan following other than people up late at night to watch porn or adult swim. I find the latter more respectable.
The only thing thats funny on his show is his face. That joke gets awfully old though.

The only good thing thats appeared on their shows is Queens of the Stone Age and the White Stripes. They should be having those 3 as guests, not the other way around.

I think the person WAS looking for attention.

This thing HAS happened before, many times. (I've heard of it).

So, I think that Thomas is an attention seeking exhibitionist.

I don't think it was for enlightenment that he did it.
I'm pretty cynical about these things I admit.

Quote from: Keira on April 04, 2008, 12:25:27 AM

I think the person WAS looking for attention.

This thing HAS happened before, many times. (I've heard of it).

So, I think that Thomas is an attention seeking exhibitionist.

That hits the point well Kiera!

However I did write a complaint nothing as sophisticated as most of yours though.. 

Quote from: Sheila on April 03, 2008, 08:59:38 PM
I don't slight the man who wants to have a child. That is not what makes this so offensive. He is trying to say that he is a man and he is pregnant. I guess this statement is true but the facts are, he still has female organs and he can conceive just like any other female. I know that most "transmen" can't have the surgery and I understand that. That wasn't my point. If a "transwoman" didn't want to do anything to their fertility, would that be that a woman can sire children too. It has been done all ready. This is not news. This is tabloid fodder. I put the transmen and transwoman in quotes as I really don't like those terms as I think of them as men and women.

I fail to understand what does make it offensive.

And in response to some other posters, going to the media is not always a volentary thing, the media is an important tool to many who are facing discrimmination for some reason. Additionally, you have to consider that If he had not gone to the media (I don't know that he initiated it), would the media not have gone to him, and portrayed him, and transgendered people in a more negative light. The reason why he would appear on a show like Oprah would be to inform the public first hand, before they read the tabloids which would have portrayed him more negatively, while being in an environment (oprah's show) that will be generally nonabusive (Oprah tends to respect her guests).

Appearing in the media and on oprahs show and explaining things in a clear manner is far better than appearing on jerry springer and throwing chairs, for example.

I don't see what's wrong with transmen having babies if they want them, to me this is equivalant to how some MTF's decide to bank some or their sperm for later use.

I also don't see what's wrong with going to the media, we don't know him and don't know his reasons, and so I think it is a poor decision to judge others without the inside information, especially others in our own community. Exhibitionist? Come on,...

Posted on: April 04, 2008, 06:59:00 AM

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Just wrote CBS a letter, it was mostly sarcastic and humorous. Will give a CSR a good laugh.

The way it came "out"
makes it obvious the media didn't go after this man.
It seems to have been designed for publicity, and it worked.
So, I'm not going to removed the tag of exhibitionist.

I'm not saying that person should hide, but
it would have been not too hard to keep it low key.

Later, if he complains he's being hounded by foundies or crackpots,
he won't have a foot to stand on, just like Britney complaining
she's being pursued by paparazi when they practically get
her itinerary in advance... How often do you hear of

Appearing in the media and on oprahs show and explaining things in a clear manner is far better than appearing on jerry springer and throwing chairs, for example

Not really, either way your trading your dignity for coverage.  One might seem more classy, but its not true - its infotainment either way.


Andy Warhaol -- "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes. ..."  1968 and getting truer all the time.

Quote from: tekla on April 04, 2008, 01:20:09 PM
Appearing in the media and on oprahs show and explaining things in a clear manner is far better than appearing on jerry springer and throwing chairs, for example

Not really, either way your trading your dignity for coverage.  One might seem more classy, but its not true - its infotainment either way.


Andy Warhaol -- "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes. ..."  1968 and getting truer all the time.

did he ever specify if it would be for the same 15 minutes?     

How many times did Judy Garland have to sing Over the Rainbow?  Its like the same 15 minutes over and over again. 

In Bart Gets Famous" (twelfth episode of The Simpsons fifth season) Bart gets famous for saying a catchphrase "Don't blame me, I didn't do it" and he goes on TV and all they want is for him to "say the phrase."  Like the band with the one super huge hit song - James Blunt comes to mind - just do the song and get offstage.

as i recall letterman had a transgender crew member.  I am not sure what happened to her.

a sound board operator who returned from vacation starting  (unannounced??) RLT.  5 or 6 years ago??

He mentioned the  situation on air.  not as a joke but just as a lack of understanding.

I don't think the crew member had for warned upper management or the union from the sound of it.



Posted on: April 04, 2008, 12:00:46 PM

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I should say that you could tell that he had great respect for this person, but was basically clueless about her decision.