Focus On The Rainbow

Tuesday evening David Letterman and staff chose to make fun of new Obama appointee Amanda Simpson who is transgender.

One would expect the likes of Fox News’ crew of anti-gay talking heads like Bill O’Reilly and others to make fun of, as they have, this Obama appointment, but for Letterman and his staff to come up with this sophomoric attempt at humor which only continues along the line of “I was tricked into thinking he was a she” which has been used as an excuse for assaulting, and in worse case scenario, murder of transgenders, just defies logic.

In many cases I have been able to find humor in “taking pot shots” at the LGBT community when others in the LGBT press and blogs become absolutely livid. But not this time. I can find no humor, a) making fun of an Obama appointee in such a manner and b) the way the skit is carried out which, whether intentional or not, sends out another stereotypical message against the transgender community.

You would think that with the bad press Letterman has gotten in the past year, he would be gun shy and steer clear of more bad press. Letterman has not just shot himself in the foot, this time he has shot himself squarely in the ass.

Woe be it to Letterman’s production company and CBS when the fallout starts with trans activists and others, who will no doubt start an aggressive campaign in making complaints to network advertisers of The David Letterman Show, and also local o/o’s and affiliate advertisers.

As the current economic times are, broadcasting outlets, both network and local can ill afford to lose ad revenue. And that could very well be the fallout for this dimwitted attempt at humor.

Dave, this time you may have bitten off quite a bit more than you can chew my friend.

January 6, 2010

David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
1697 Broadway
New York, NY 10001

CC:  Nina Tassler
President, CBS Entertainment
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019

Dear Mr. Letterman,

I am writing on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, to express my disappointment over the inappropriate and incendiary remarks made on The Late Show with David Letterman last night on the appointment of Amanda Simpson to a senior position in the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The decision to ignore the fact that Ms. Simpson is incredibly well-qualified for this vital national security position and focus instead on her gender identity reflects transphobia.  Ms. Simpson’s appointment represents meaningful progress for the LGBT community and in particular transgender Americans who have faced significant and well-documented discrimination in the workplace and their communities.

You may not be aware that the punch line in your skit has been used as a defense in nearly every hate crime perpetrated against transgender people that has come to trial.  For example, the “trans panic” defense was infamously used by Allen Ray Andrade, who was convicted in 2009 of beating 19-year-old Angie Zapata to death with a fire extinguisher after learning of her gender history.  According to media reports, it has also been the main defense employed by Juan A. Martinez for the killing of Jorge Steven López Mercado, 19, in Puerto Rico last November.

Your skit affirmed and encouraged a prejudice against transgender Americans that keeps many from finding jobs, housing, and enjoying freedoms you and your writers take for granted every day.  We ask that you apologize publicly to Ms. Simpson and the transgender community for this unfortunate episode.

Sincerely,

Allyson Robinson,
Associate Director of Diversity for Transgender Issues
Human Rights Campaign