Jun 15, 2015

LGBT Advocates Respond to Transphobic G105 Radio Segment

RALEIGH, N.C. (June 15, 2015) -- In a joint letter sent to G105 today, LGBT advocates representing Equality NC and the LGBT Center of Raleigh admonished a broadcast of the station's Bob and the Showgram "American Idiots" program for targeting the transgender people. The segment featured blatantly transphobic language directed at Caitlyn Jenner and the transgender community, including requests that listeners submit transphobic songs mocking Jenner's gender identity and transition.

The letter, signed by both organizations, demands a public apology to the transgender community and includes an invitation for further dialogue between LGBT advocates and the Raleigh-based radio station, which has a history of homophobic and transphobic broadcasts. The letter was sent to Showgram staff. Voicemail messages to Chris Edge, the show's producer have yet to be returned.

The following letter can be attributed to Equality NC's Executive Director Chris Sgro and LGBT Center of Raleigh's Executive Director James Miller:

As organizations that represent and advocate for North Carolina's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population, we at Equality NC and the LGBT Center of Raleigh are deeply concerned by the content of your June 15th Bob and the Showgram "American Idiots" program featuring references to Caitlyn Jenner:

http://g105.iheart.com/onair/bob-and-the-showgram-47702/american-idiots-listener-edition-13658471/

Among these concerns is your blatant and transphobic treatment of Caitlyn Jenner's transition and gender identity.

Second is the program's blatant disregard for its impact on North Carolina's transgender community as a whole.

We understand your station has received continual complaints about its portrayals of the LGBT community and several times received media reference guides to correct prior homophobic or transphobic references to the LGBT community. We direct your attention to it again. It's free. Print it out. Give it to your staff:

http://www.glaad.org/reference

We know the media's negative depictions of the LGBT community can have a lasting impact not only on the public discourse around basic equality, but also to the health and safety of our community, including the youngest and most vulnerable among us.

We demand a public apology for today's program.

But a public apology to the transgender community is just the beginning.

As the leaders of our organizations, we also believe it is time for representatives of your station and the offending program to meet with the LGBT community and some of its leaders. We're requesting that now and hope to hear back on possible dates and times that might work for you and your top staff. We would propose that we attend this meeting along with several other LGBT community members who have repeatedly tried to communicate to you about your continued anti-LGBT bias and offensive broadcasts.

Without any kind of improvement from your station and efforts at dialogue to address these concerns, your continued use of homophobic and transphobic language and antics in your broadcasts begins to seem both intentional and malicious. As broadcasters who serve a diverse and ever-changing audience, you have a moral and ethical responsibility to offer respect and fairness to the subjects you feature.

Today, you have failed at both.

Chris Sgro, executive director, Equality NC

James Miller, MPP, MBA, executive director, LGBT Center of Raleigh