Randi Rhodes Redux

podcastI guess Randi’s transphobia isn’t something new.

I edited the clips down (I edited them for time, I did not rearrange or manipulate the content). If you want to hear the segments unedited, watch the youtube videos below.

I find it rather ironic that Randi’s reaction to Ann Coulter’s personal attacks is to attack Ann’s body, gender identity and sexuality.

Podcast:

http://podcasts.transactivists.com/TAR/media/2007-07-05_tacoulterrhodes2.mp3

[kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/K7VCwqJlJIo” width=”425″ height=”350″/] [kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/KBf9eUk7_GI” width=”425″ height=”350″/]

oh, and for you gays and lesbians that are feeling left out, Ann’s turning people gay!

[kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/UYy3m-cOp2o” width=”425″ height=”350″/]

Marti Abernathey is the founder of the Transadvocate and the previous managing editor. Abernathey has worn many different hats, including that of podcaster, activist, and radiologic technologist. She's been a part of various internet radio ventures such as TSR Live!, The T-Party, and The Radical Trannies, TransFM, and Sodium Pentathol Sunday. As an advocate she's previously been involved with the Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance, Rock Indiana Campaign for Equality, and the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition. She's taken vital roles as a grass roots community organizer in The Indianapolis Tax Day Protest (2003), The Indy Pride HRC Protest (2004), Transgender Day of Remembrance (2004), Indiana's Witch Hunt (2005), and the Rally At The Statehouse (the largest ever GLBT protest in Indiana - 3/2005). In 2008 she was a delegate from Indiana to the Democratic National Convention and a member of Barack Obama's LGBT Steering and Policy Committee. Abernathey currently hosts the Youtube Channel "The T-Party with Marti Abernathey."

61 Comments

  1. Randi, since I didn’t want to waste any more of my time in writing about or to you, I posted this comments earlier today in this blog and to save effort, I’m re-posting it with this brief introduction to my earlier comments.
    My only question to you, did you stopped playing the Ad I referenced to?
    If you have, how long has it been since you did so?
    (As I said earlier, I haven’t listened to you for almost two years so I wouldn’t know one way or the other)
    Aurora

    Hi, I’m a trangender woman and a former rabid Randi Rhodes listener, fan and admirer, I used to identify myself as as a “Rhodie”, I referred to her as my Goddess until..

    Every time I heard the add my gut felt like if somebody had hit me there.
    “bigger than Ann Coulter’s Adams apple”, “she is a man baby”
    And the RR show played it often, followed by Randi’s ha! ha! ha!
    On later weeks, Randi came up with her “Man Coulter”

    I couldn’t understand how my “Goddess of the radio” With all the despicable qualities that Ann Coulter displays, couldn’t come up with a way to attack her other than questioning Ann’s gender and sexuality.

    I poured my feelings of hurt in a letter to Randi, I never got a reply from her.
    I told her that as far as I could tell, Ann could be a TG woman but that she identifies as biological woman, I conveyed to Randi the importance that it has to respect an individual’s gender self identification, that in my lifetime (then 58, now 60 yrs old) I’ve known biological women with big hands, large Adam’s apple and could give a run for their money to many a man in a beard contest.

    I also told Randi that I was not trying to defend Ann, that I leave it up to her to respond to and to account for all the hate and filth she continually spouts, but that every time she went to the well of her gender ID, she was making it OK for other people to do the same, not only to Ann C, but to me and my TG sisters as well because as sis Alyssa said in a previous post in this blog, “Actually, Randi, we transwomen LIVE it. Comments like yours help ensure it.”

    Amen!

    I have not listened to Randi in almost two years and I tell my friends that she couldn’t even get the time of day from me and that if they can, to do me a big favor and tell other people about her.

    With friends like her, who needs enemies?

    RE: GLAAD and the “Gay Communty”, all I will say now is that I’m tired of them treating us as their POOR RELATION and dropping our struggles as soon as doing so, benefits them or feel that their association with us, makes them look…. ????, will somebody tell me?

    May I remind you that we are still classified/cataloged as having a disorder? (“Gender Dysphoria”), (Yeah, I know it is a two edge sword because this designation allows our very low income sisters, to get hormonal treatment under the current TG medical protocol that diminishes the discrepancy between our image in the mirror and our innermost feelings)

  2. I find it even more interesting that “Gender Identity Disorders” listed in the DSM-IV-R happen to be the only disorders with a non-psychiatric surgical treatment. Of all the “mental disorders” listed, the only psychiatric and psychological intervention required is to help us realize we are not crazy, and to help us deal with society’s bigotry.

    Too bad society, and in particular the media, chooses to ignore this and instead marginalizes us at every opportunity. And it’s a crying shame when people like Bill O’Reilly (Fox Noise Channel) and Pat Robertson (Pay The Lord) are more sensitive, understanding, and informed on this subject than say, oh, Randi Rhodes.

    As it has been more than a month since I requested an on-air correction and apology from Randi Rhodes and Air America, I have decided to stop listening to her show entirely. I figure if I’m only good enough for her to joke about to millions of listeners but not good enough for an apology before those same listeners, then she and her sponsors are not good enough for me to waste my time and money on.

  3. Hi, I’m a trangender woman and a former rabid Randi Rhodes listener, fan and admirer, I used to identify myself as as a “Rhodie”, I referred to her as my Goddess until..

    Every time I heard the add my gut felt like if somebody had hit me there.
    “bigger than Ann Coulter’s Adams apple”, “she is a man baby”
    And the RR show played it often, followed by Randi’s ha! ha! ha!
    On later weeks, Randi came up with her “Man Coulter”

    I couldn’t understand how my “Goddess of the radio” With all the despicable qualities that Ann Coulter displays, couldn’t come up with a way to attack her other than questioning Ann’s gender and sexuality.

    I poured my feelings of hurt in a letter to Randi, I never got a reply from her.
    I told her that as far as I could tell, Ann could be a TG woman but that she identifies as biological woman, I conveyed to Randi the importance that it has to respect an individual’s gender self identification, that in my lifetime (then 58, now 60 yrs old) I’ve known biological women with big hands, large Adam’s apple and could give me a run for their money to many a man in a beard contest.

    I also told Randi that I was not trying to defend Ann, that I leave it up to her to respond to and to account for all the hate and filth she continually spouts, but that every time she went to the well of her gender ID, she was making OK for other people to do the same, not only to Ann C, but to me and my TG sisters as well because as sis Alyssa said in a previous post in this blog, “Actually, Randi, we transwomen LIVE it. Comments like yours help ensure it.”

    Amen!

    I have not listened to Randi in almost two years and I tell my friends that she couldn’t even get the time of day from me and that if they can, to do me a big favor and tell other people about her.

    With friends like her, who needs enemies?

    RE: GLAAD and the “Gay Communty”, all I will say now is that I’m tired of them treating us as their POOR RELATION and dropping our struggles as soon as doing so, benefits them or feel that their association with us, makes them look…. ????, will somebody tell me?

    May I remind you that we are still classified/cataloged as having a disorder? (“Gender Dysphoria”), (Yeah, I know it is a two edge sword because this designation allows our very low income sisters, to get hormonal treatment under the current TG medical protocol that aliviates the discrepancy between the image in the mirror and our innermost feelings)

    I thank you all for the Post and the comments.

    Aurora

  4. Hi, I’m a trangender woman and a former rabid Randi Rhodes listener, fan and admirer, I used to identify myself as as a “Rhodie”, I referred to her as my Goddess until..

    Every time I heard the add my gut felt like if somebody had hit me there.
    “bigger than Ann Coulter’s Adams apple”, “she is a man baby”
    And the RR show played it often, followed by Randi’s ha! ha! ha!
    On later weeks, Randi came up with her “Man Coulter”

    I couldn’t understand how my “Goddess of the radio” With all the despicable qualities that Ann Coulter displays, couldn’t come up with a way to attack her other than questioning Ann’s gender and sexuality.

    I poured my feelings of hurt in a letter to Randi, I never got a reply from her.
    I told her that as far as I could tell, Ann could be a TG woman but that she identifies as biological woman, I conveyed to Randi the importance that it has to respect an individual’s gender self identification, that in my lifetime (then 58, now 60 yrs old) I’ve known biological women with big hands, large Adam’s apple and could give me a run for their money to many a man in a beard contest.

    I also told Randi that I was not trying to defend Ann, that I leave it up to her to respond to and to account for all the hate and filth she continually spouts, but that every time she went to the well of her gender ID, she was making OK for other people to do the same, not only to Ann C, but to me and my TG sisters as well because as sis Alyssa said in a previous post in this blog, “Actually, Randi, we transwomen LIVE it. Comments like yours help ensure it.”

    Amen!

    I have not listened to Randi in almost two years and I tell my friends that she couldn’t even get the time of day from me and that if they can, to do me a big favor and tell other people about her.

    With friends like her, who needs enemies?

    RE: GLAAD and the “Gay Communty”, all I will say now is that I’m tired of them treating us as their POOR RELATION and dropping our struggles as soon as doing so, benefits them or feel that their association with us, makes them look…. ????, will somebody tell me?

    May I remind you that we are still classified/cataloged as having a disorder? (“Gender Dysphoria”), (Yeah, I know it is a two edge sword because this designation allows our very low income sisters, to get hormonal treatment under the current TG medical protocol that aliviates the discrepancy between the image in the mirror and our innermost feelings)

    I thank you all for the Post and the comments.

    Aurora

  5. Comment by David
    2007-07-11 12:41:36

    Amazing. First of all, the comment made by Rhodes had an immediate and negative impact upon me personally.

    Second, a quiet little apology on this message forum that only we can see does not repair the damage done when she broadcast her comment to millions of listeners who hang on every word she says. An on-air correction and apology will be accepted.

    Third, this isn’t little stuff to me. I had to defend my job, and was faced with bigotry at a local K-Mart. The former is a direct result of Rhodes’ comment, the latter comes awfully close.

    Oh, and by the way, David, I am asking that people treat me the same way they wish me to treat them, nothing more or less. You will also notice I did not personally attack Rhodes. Hence I am treating her the way I wish to be treated, not the way she treated me with that thoughtless, insensitive, and ill-informed comment.

  6. David,
    your intellectually dishonest debate tactics wont get very much mileage around here, although they might work at GLAAD.

    Are you commenting here on their time? You’re definitely using their computer network to do so.

    In your comment you don’t address what has been said here, you only personally attack.

    Intellectually dishonest debate tactic #1: Questioning the motives of the opponent

    “Obviously no one here is going to pleased with Randi says because you can’t be”

    You’re making an assumption based on my own personal motives, but you don’t know me.

    The opposite is true, I really do like Randi. In all the media I create on TA, I try to emulate her mixture of entertainment and information.

    That being said, I do believe that those that say they are progressive should be held to the same standards (or higher) than those of our enemy, and should not swim in the same dirty waters as the enemy.

    “I feel sad for you. So much hate.”

    Again you don’t know me, so your personal attacks aren’t from a place of knowledge but of supposition and frustration. I have no hatred for Randi, quite the opposite, in fact.

    Intellectually dishonest debate tactic #2: False premise

    “Ms. Rhodes obviously regrets what she said, understands why it was offensive”

    Obviously she DOESN’T understand, or she wouldn’t continue to state that Ann Coulter “looks like a man.” I’d much rather have Randi understand WHY her words hurt, than be sorry for them.

    “Isn’t that what this is all about . . . understanding people and getting past the little stuff?”

    Maybe transphobic comments are “little stuff” to you, but they aren’t for me. My only wish is that Randi UNDERSTAND. I could care less if she is “sorry.”

  7. It’s too bad a simple “I’m sorry, I should have realised that my words hurt real people, who are struggling so bravely and enduring so much, just to be themselves” hasn’t been forthcoming.

    But…I’m still willing to listen, if you are willing to listen, too, Randi; and I would take you at your word, if you would tell us this.

  8. It’s too bad a simple “I’m sorry, I should have realised that my words hurt real people, who are struggling so bravely and enduring so much, just to be themselves” hasn’t been forthcoming.

    But…I’m still willing to listen, if you are willing to listen, too, Randi; and I would take you at your word, if you would tell us this.

  9. Can YOU imagine that? Being misunderstood?

    Actually, Randi, we transwomen LIVE it. Comments like yours help ensure it.

    Your apology sounds hollow. You whine about not having an instant, always reliable pulpit to make yourself understood to the women that you have hurt.

    In my opinion, you have demonsrated yourself to be an arrogant, overprivileged ignoramus who cannot even feign contriteness.

    Of course, not being one myself I could be wrong about you.

    Prove me wrong, Randi. In the meantime go to a bakery if you want a cookie.

  10. Can YOU imagine that? Being misunderstood?

    Actually, Randi, we transwomen LIVE it. Comments like yours help ensure it.

    Your apology sounds hollow. You whine about not having an instant, always reliable pulpit to make yourself understood to the women that you have hurt.

    In my opinion, you have demonsrated yourself to be an arrogant, overprivileged ignoramus who cannot even feign contriteness.

    Of course, not being one myself I could be wrong about you.

    Prove me wrong, Randi. In the meantime go to a bakery if you want a cookie.

  11. Becky:

    My experience the last couple of decades has taught me that most bigots who attempt to justify their behaviors and actions by claiming the media as a justification usually do so within days of reading, hearing, or viewing the alleged justification. I’ve not heard of any other media personality making such statements (and I do look for it) other than Rhodes during that time period. The “justification” was specific (in relation to Rhodes’ comment) and within the usual “fallout” time period.

    Remember, the cashier also instigated an incident over religion between two other customers as well (she didn’t want to serve an observant Muslim but would serve the perceived Christian behind him). She didn’t use the media to justify that incident, probably because Fox Noise Channel hasn’t made any racist comments towards Islam in a couple of weeks.

    I understand that bigots will use any excuse available to justify their actions, particularly in the face of serious consequences (such as the loss of a job, prison, etc.). The media talk show hosts, religious leaders, politicians, etc. need to take this into account before they speak on matters they know little about.

    Randi Rhodes needs to think before speaking, particularly if the comment she wants to blurt out is one that may negatively impact people she does not seek to harm (as she claims above). I understand Coulter irritates the crap out of her, she does with most people capable of independent thought. The comment of a couple of weeks ago was offensive on several levels (to women, trans-women, and lesbians), and had consequences for others except Coulter.

    What irritates me the most over this mess is not just that I have to be especially careful for a couple of weeks, but that I had to defend Ann Coulter, someone I personally despise and wish would just go away. That is something other media personalities haven’t forced me into, at least not yet.

    Making a punch line out of a person’s race, religion, nationality, color, sexuality, gender, etc. is simply unacceptable and needs to stop. God knows Coulter gives plenty of reasons to attack her just from what spews from her mouth or the filth she puts in print, so personal attacks that negatively impact others have no place in the “marketplace of ideas.”

  12. Becky:

    My experience the last couple of decades has taught me that most bigots who attempt to justify their behaviors and actions by claiming the media as a justification usually do so within days of reading, hearing, or viewing the alleged justification. I’ve not heard of any other media personality making such statements (and I do look for it) other than Rhodes during that time period. The “justification” was specific (in relation to Rhodes’ comment) and within the usual “fallout” time period.

    Remember, the cashier also instigated an incident over religion between two other customers as well (she didn’t want to serve an observant Muslim but would serve the perceived Christian behind him). She didn’t use the media to justify that incident, probably because Fox Noise Channel hasn’t made any racist comments towards Islam in a couple of weeks.

    I understand that bigots will use any excuse available to justify their actions, particularly in the face of serious consequences (such as the loss of a job, prison, etc.). The media talk show hosts, religious leaders, politicians, etc. need to take this into account before they speak on matters they know little about.

    Randi Rhodes needs to think before speaking, particularly if the comment she wants to blurt out is one that may negatively impact people she does not seek to harm (as she claims above). I understand Coulter irritates the crap out of her, she does with most people capable of independent thought. The comment of a couple of weeks ago was offensive on several levels (to women, trans-women, and lesbians), and had consequences for others except Coulter.

    What irritates me the most over this mess is not just that I have to be especially careful for a couple of weeks, but that I had to defend Ann Coulter, someone I personally despise and wish would just go away. That is something other media personalities haven’t forced me into, at least not yet.

    Making a punch line out of a person’s race, religion, nationality, color, sexuality, gender, etc. is simply unacceptable and needs to stop. God knows Coulter gives plenty of reasons to attack her just from what spews from her mouth or the filth she puts in print, so personal attacks that negatively impact others have no place in the “marketplace of ideas.”

  13. Obviously no one here is going to pleased with Randi says because you can’t be — you have to have some avenue for your anger no matter the fact Ms. Rhodes obviously regrets what she said, understands why it was offensive and has gone to time and trouble to speak here. But that isn’t good enough. You have to take every word she says in her effort and twist into something that was never meant. I feel sad for you. So much hate. If you can’t forgive Ms. Rhodes then there is truly no hope for you. Wouldn’t it be amazing if people treated you the same way . . . get it? Isn’t that what this is all about . . . understanding people and getting past the little stuff?

  14. Obviously no one here is going to pleased with Randi says because you can’t be — you have to have some avenue for your anger no matter the fact Ms. Rhodes obviously regrets what she said, understands why it was offensive and has gone to time and trouble to speak here. But that isn’t good enough. You have to take every word she says in her effort and twist into something that was never meant. I feel sad for you. So much hate. If you can’t forgive Ms. Rhodes then there is truly no hope for you. Wouldn’t it be amazing if people treated you the same way . . . get it? Isn’t that what this is all about . . . understanding people and getting past the little stuff?

  15. Deborah,

    One question I have here, and I think it’s a valid one, is this: Are you sure that when the cashier said she’d heard “on the radio” that we’re crazy, that it was due to something Randi Rhodes said and not any of the other many talk radio hosts who have bashed us in the past, most notably Michael Savage, who has used far more hateful language to describe us than Randi? In fact, Savage has said we should be (paraphrasing here) locked up in mental wards on major medication.

    If you’re not sure you’ve got the right target here, then blaming Randi without knowing is much the same as what we’ve so often accused others of, placing blame without facts to back it up.

    Please note that I’m not saying you’re wrong, nor am I saying that Randi should get a pass for what she did say, but that it’s not fair to place the blame for what happened to you on her shoulders if you’re not sure that’s the case.

    Peace and Power,

    Becky

  16. Deborah,

    One question I have here, and I think it’s a valid one, is this: Are you sure that when the cashier said she’d heard “on the radio” that we’re crazy, that it was due to something Randi Rhodes said and not any of the other many talk radio hosts who have bashed us in the past, most notably Michael Savage, who has used far more hateful language to describe us than Randi? In fact, Savage has said we should be (paraphrasing here) locked up in mental wards on major medication.

    If you’re not sure you’ve got the right target here, then blaming Randi without knowing is much the same as what we’ve so often accused others of, placing blame without facts to back it up.

    Please note that I’m not saying you’re wrong, nor am I saying that Randi should get a pass for what she did say, but that it’s not fair to place the blame for what happened to you on her shoulders if you’re not sure that’s the case.

    Peace and Power,

    Becky

  17. As perhaps a direct result of the broadcast, I had an incident at a local K-Mart store. Seems a clerk there not only felt it was her right to refuse to serve me, but then made the extra effort of pointing me out to other customers when I went to a different line. A couple of her customers gave me a heads-up to this, and one actually thought it was now okay to openly harass me in the store.

    The clerk claimed as an excuse that she had heard on the radio that “things like that are crazy persons,” and as such she was concerned for her safety if she rang up my purchases. I was not the only one she discriminated against (she caused a fight between two other customers over religion), but I was the one she had an excuse for. The manager whom I spoke with appears to have done nothing about the incident(s). She did point out the sign that states “We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to Anyone.” The clerk, whose body build was more masculine than mine, constantly referred to me as “it” or “sir,” something that hadn’t occurred in years.

    Obviously, I canceled my purchase and took my business to Wal Mart a 1/4 mile down the road (saving $80 to boot), where I knew I wouldn’t be disrespected like that.

    And so the fallout begins over a senseless comment, treated as a joke, used to attack a personal characteristic and paint a whole group with the same brush.

    Rhodes’ apology will be accepted when the fallout ends, and when I see a clear pattern of change.

  18. As perhaps a direct result of the broadcast, I had an incident at a local K-Mart store. Seems a clerk there not only felt it was her right to refuse to serve me, but then made the extra effort of pointing me out to other customers when I went to a different line. A couple of her customers gave me a heads-up to this, and one actually thought it was now okay to openly harass me in the store.

    The clerk claimed as an excuse that she had heard on the radio that “things like that are crazy persons,” and as such she was concerned for her safety if she rang up my purchases. I was not the only one she discriminated against (she caused a fight between two other customers over religion), but I was the one she had an excuse for. The manager whom I spoke with appears to have done nothing about the incident(s). She did point out the sign that states “We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to Anyone.” The clerk, whose body build was more masculine than mine, constantly referred to me as “it” or “sir,” something that hadn’t occurred in years.

    Obviously, I canceled my purchase and took my business to Wal Mart a 1/4 mile down the road (saving $80 to boot), where I knew I wouldn’t be disrespected like that.

    And so the fallout begins over a senseless comment, treated as a joke, used to attack a personal characteristic and paint a whole group with the same brush.

    Rhodes’ apology will be accepted when the fallout ends, and when I see a clear pattern of change.

  19. Here are a few facts Randi Rhodes needs to be aware of before she makes another comment offensive or dangerous to the transgender community:

    The transgendered homicide rate in 2005-2006 is 17 times the national average, the highest of any group classification. The homicide conviction rate for those who murder trans-persons is the lowest, about 1 in 10.
    (FBI statistics)

    38.1% of trans-women in 2004 were victims of physical and/or sexual assault (these are reported cases, based on CDC estimates of the transgendered female population). (UCSF study)

    Nearly 42% of trans-persons are chronically unemployed do to overt workplace discrimination. Only 5 states have specific laws prohibiting this sort of discrimination. This number is nearly double if you only count trans-persons who are also military veterans. (USDOL)

    Nearly half of all trans-persons are chronically homeless or living in an unstable housing situation (shelters, hotels, other temporary housing) due to housing discrimination. Again, only 5 states ban this sort of discrimination. Most homeless shelters will deny access to trans-persons citing safety concerns or religious beliefs. (multiple studies)

    Only Cigna and Aetna offer individual health coverage to trans-persons, and then only in markets where state law requires them to. While coverage is available through other carriers at significantly higher rates than non-trans-persons, claims are often denied if the carrier can claim that somehow the treatment or procedure is related to transgender care. (insurance company web sites)

    All of this is because of discrimination based upon myths and stereotypes perpetuated by religious institutions and the media.

  20. Here are a few facts Randi Rhodes needs to be aware of before she makes another comment offensive or dangerous to the transgender community:

    The transgendered homicide rate in 2005-2006 is 17 times the national average, the highest of any group classification. The homicide conviction rate for those who murder trans-persons is the lowest, about 1 in 10.
    (FBI statistics)

    38.1% of trans-women in 2004 were victims of physical and/or sexual assault (these are reported cases, based on CDC estimates of the transgendered female population). (UCSF study)

    Nearly 42% of trans-persons are chronically unemployed do to overt workplace discrimination. Only 5 states have specific laws prohibiting this sort of discrimination. This number is nearly double if you only count trans-persons who are also military veterans. (USDOL)

    Nearly half of all trans-persons are chronically homeless or living in an unstable housing situation (shelters, hotels, other temporary housing) due to housing discrimination. Again, only 5 states ban this sort of discrimination. Most homeless shelters will deny access to trans-persons citing safety concerns or religious beliefs. (multiple studies)

    Only Cigna and Aetna offer individual health coverage to trans-persons, and then only in markets where state law requires them to. While coverage is available through other carriers at significantly higher rates than non-trans-persons, claims are often denied if the carrier can claim that somehow the treatment or procedure is related to transgender care. (insurance company web sites)

    All of this is because of discrimination based upon myths and stereotypes perpetuated by religious institutions and the media.

  21. Here are a few facts Randi Rhodes needs to be aware of before she makes another comment offensive or dangerous to the transgender community:

    The transgendered homicide rate in 2005-2006 is 17 times the national average, the highest of any group classification. The homicide conviction rate for those who murder trans-persons is the lowest, about 1 in 10.
    (FBI statistics)

    38.1% of trans-women in 2004 were victims of physical and/or sexual assault (these are reported cases, based on CDC estimates of the transgendered female population). (UCSF study)

    Nearly 42% of trans-persons are chronically unemployed do to overt workplace discrimination. Only 5 states have specific laws prohibiting this sort of discrimination. This number is nearly double if you only count trans-persons who are also military veterans. (USDOL)

    Nearly half of all trans-persons are chronically homeless or living in an unstable housing situation (shelters, hotels, other temporary housing) due to housing discrimination. Again, only 5 states ban this sort of discrimination. Most homeless shelters will deny access to trans-persons citing safety concerns or religious beliefs. (multiple studies)

    Only Cigna and Aetna offer individual health coverage to trans-persons, and then only in markets where state law requires them to. While coverage is available through other carriers at significantly higher rates than non-trans-persons, claims are often denied if the carrier can claim that somehow the treatment or procedure is related to transgender care. (insurance company web sites)

    All of this is because of discrimination based upon myths and stereotypes perpetuated by religious institutions and the media.

  22. “As for how the comment a couple of weeks ago went for me, it nearly cost me my job. You see, I’m “out” as transgendered at work. Up until the comment about hormone therapy making trans-persons mentally unstable, nobody cared because I do excellent work. However, given my job is particularly dangerous and that public safety is a major issue for us, being labeled a “whack-a-doodle” required that I explain to two management types why your statement was false.”

    That’s exactly why I am so upset by this. These types of media comments don’t happen in a vacuum. They are building blocks of hate that become walls for us.

  23. “If you realize that she gets it, will you then accept her apology?”

    Sure, but she shows no signs of truly getting it. Example:

    “She looks like a man to me, however, she’d never give up her “female” role as it paves the way for her to make MEGA BUCKS off of her rants against people like US and by that I mean GOOD people, who believe in freedom and kindness, understanding and meaningful LOVE.”

    This is the kind of thing I’m talking about. I think Randi is attractive, but for heavens sake, she’s not the most feminine woman I’ve ever seen. But that SHOULDN’T MATTER in the marketplace of ideas. Femininity shouldn’t be a qualifier for a woman to be taken seriously. It shouldn’t matter at all, really. Some of my best friends are very manly women.

    What is “good people?” To me, goodness is
    action, it’s how you treat others. It seems to me that Randi’s engaging in the very same type of behavior she’s accusing
    Ann of. Ann attacks others for their sexual orientation, Randi attacks her because of her gender identity/presentation. How is one better than the other?

    “If Rush were to say these things would you be hurt?”

    No, but Rush is a hateful bigot. I expect Randi to be progressive, because she’s always presented herself as such.

  24. “If you realize that she gets it, will you then accept her apology?”

    Sure, but she shows no signs of truly getting it. Example:

    “She looks like a man to me, however, she’d never give up her “female” role as it paves the way for her to make MEGA BUCKS off of her rants against people like US and by that I mean GOOD people, who believe in freedom and kindness, understanding and meaningful LOVE.”

    This is the kind of thing I’m talking about. I think Randi is attractive, but for heavens sake, she’s not the most feminine woman I’ve ever seen. But that SHOULDN’T MATTER in the marketplace of ideas. Femininity shouldn’t be a qualifier for a woman to be taken seriously. It shouldn’t matter at all, really. Some of my best friends are very manly women.

    What is “good people?” To me, goodness is
    action, it’s how you treat others. It seems to me that Randi’s engaging in the very same type of behavior she’s accusing
    Ann of. Ann attacks others for their sexual orientation, Randi attacks her because of her gender identity/presentation. How is one better than the other?

    “If Rush were to say these things would you be hurt?”

    No, but Rush is a hateful bigot. I expect Randi to be progressive, because she’s always presented herself as such.

  25. I’m not quite sure how to take the apology by Randi Rhodes. I guess I’ll have to wait and see if this sort of “humor” continues or not.

    As for how the comment a couple of weeks ago went for me, it nearly cost me my job. You see, I’m “out” as transgendered at work. Up until the comment about hormone therapy making trans-persons mentally unstable, nobody cared because I do excellent work. However, given my job is particularly dangerous and that public safety is a major issue for us, being labeled a “whack-a-doodle” required that I explain to two management types why your statement was false.

    I kept my job because I am particularly knowledgeable on transgender medical and psychological issues, not to mention oncology, immunology, and other medical fields. This is not generally the case with other trans-persons, who struggle to keep a job, home, family, friends, etc., all the while having to look over their shoulder and wonder if they will be murdered by some bigot who will use your statement as an excuse.

    It is my hope that such “jokes” will end. If you must attack Coulter, and God knows she has it coming, try going after her lies, distortions, threats, etc. Stop comparing her to the transgender community. She is not transgendered, she is unusually thin. I would sooner suspect her for an eating disorder (along with other mental illnesses) or hyperthyroidism long before I would suspect her of being a transsexual. Even if she were transgendered, that isn’t the issue with her.

    Please stop making me and others like me a punch line for personal attacks. It puts me at serious risk financially and physically, and my life is dangerous enough.

  26. I’m not quite sure how to take the apology by Randi Rhodes. I guess I’ll have to wait and see if this sort of “humor” continues or not.

    As for how the comment a couple of weeks ago went for me, it nearly cost me my job. You see, I’m “out” as transgendered at work. Up until the comment about hormone therapy making trans-persons mentally unstable, nobody cared because I do excellent work. However, given my job is particularly dangerous and that public safety is a major issue for us, being labeled a “whack-a-doodle” required that I explain to two management types why your statement was false.

    I kept my job because I am particularly knowledgeable on transgender medical and psychological issues, not to mention oncology, immunology, and other medical fields. This is not generally the case with other trans-persons, who struggle to keep a job, home, family, friends, etc., all the while having to look over their shoulder and wonder if they will be murdered by some bigot who will use your statement as an excuse.

    It is my hope that such “jokes” will end. If you must attack Coulter, and God knows she has it coming, try going after her lies, distortions, threats, etc. Stop comparing her to the transgender community. She is not transgendered, she is unusually thin. I would sooner suspect her for an eating disorder (along with other mental illnesses) or hyperthyroidism long before I would suspect her of being a transsexual. Even if she were transgendered, that isn’t the issue with her.

    Please stop making me and others like me a punch line for personal attacks. It puts me at serious risk financially and physically, and my life is dangerous enough.

  27. Well said!
    You respectfully addressed important issues very clearly and gave credit where due! I enjoyed reading your comments to Randi. I felt as if you were contributing to the process of healing and understating in a helpful and effective way, as others also have.
    Bless you for your good heart.

  28. Well said!
    You respectfully addressed important issues very clearly and gave credit where due! I enjoyed reading your comments to Randi. I felt as if you were contributing to the process of healing and understating in a helpful and effective way, as others also have.
    Bless you for your good heart.

  29. I need to jump in on this.

    Randi,

    1. We transfolks don’t get a lot of coverage in mainstream media, but when we do a lot of it is negative and disparaging, especially in talk radio. We’re among the right-wingers favorite punching bags, and so it’s not surprising that we’re hyper-sensitive to these kinds of things, even when it’s unintentional. In short, we expect you and those on the left to know better, and we’re disappointed when it becomes clear that you don’t.

    2. Speaking as someone who’s been a host and co-host of non-commercial Internet radio talk shows for over 5 years now, I’ve long since lost track of how many “seemed like a good idea at the time”-type on-air gaffes I’ve made or heard others make. In all cases, however, I tend to think of them as learning experiences. I hope you do as well.

    3. Marti and the rest of the commenters are right, bashing Ann Coulter, or any female-identified person (regardless of whether she happened to have been born to the identity or took it herself later in life) by saying she looks like a man is transphobic, even though it’s not intentional. It gives credence to the idea that a lack of femininity or a masculine appearance in a woman is something to be disparaged and is a fair and valid slur to be used against a woman who you don’t like.

    It doesn’t matter if it’s Ann Coulter, Katherine Harris, or whoever. As you know well I’m sure, anything said in the media, especially on radio or television, can easily be magnified in importance thousands of times, especially when it comes from an on-air personality with the level of listenership you have.

    To put it in perspective, while this may have seemed a completely reasonable attack to use against Coulter, imagine if it were Rachel Maddow who was the target instead. How do you think she would feel?

    In some ways, it’s kind of like using the N-word or the word “Queer”. If members of the minority groups targeted by these words use them to describe themselves it’s acceptable because by their being used in that way its considered a way of disempowering their hateful connotations, of taking ownership of these words ourselves, but that right of use does not extend to those outside of that community.

    I’m sure you’d agree that it would totally inappropriate for you, I, or any on-air personality who isn’t African-American themselves to use the N-word on the air. I submit to you that this case is no different. Coming from you, a born woman, denigrating Ann Coulter by saying she looks like a man is offensive, particularly to those of us who’ve heard that comment hurled at ourselves and our fellow transwomen as a slur in our own lives.

    Like most who do this kind of radio at any level, I dance pretty close to the edge in terms of what’s provocative and edgy and what’s truly offensive, but I also try my damnedest not to go over that line. Usually, I’m successful in that but sometimes I fail. This time, you danced over the edge, but you also came here, discussed it, and apologized. In my mind, that shows you to be a class act and at least a step above the vast majority. Most hosts who offend in this way wouldn’t even bother, considering it all part of the game. My hope is that you will now have a new level of understanding of the transgender experience, and perhaps an interest in what really makes us tick…and hey, a little bit of on-air coverage would be nice too! 😉

    Thanks for listening.

    Peace and Power,

    Becky Juro

  30. I need to jump in on this.

    Randi,

    1. We transfolks don’t get a lot of coverage in mainstream media, but when we do a lot of it is negative and disparaging, especially in talk radio. We’re among the right-wingers favorite punching bags, and so it’s not surprising that we’re hyper-sensitive to these kinds of things, even when it’s unintentional. In short, we expect you and those on the left to know better, and we’re disappointed when it becomes clear that you don’t.

    2. Speaking as someone who’s been a host and co-host of non-commercial Internet radio talk shows for over 5 years now, I’ve long since lost track of how many “seemed like a good idea at the time”-type on-air gaffes I’ve made or heard others make. In all cases, however, I tend to think of them as learning experiences. I hope you do as well.

    3. Marti and the rest of the commenters are right, bashing Ann Coulter, or any female-identified person (regardless of whether she happened to have been born to the identity or took it herself later in life) by saying she looks like a man is transphobic, even though it’s not intentional. It gives credence to the idea that a lack of femininity or a masculine appearance in a woman is something to be disparaged and is a fair and valid slur to be used against a woman who you don’t like.

    It doesn’t matter if it’s Ann Coulter, Katherine Harris, or whoever. As you know well I’m sure, anything said in the media, especially on radio or television, can easily be magnified in importance thousands of times, especially when it comes from an on-air personality with the level of listenership you have.

    To put it in perspective, while this may have seemed a completely reasonable attack to use against Coulter, imagine if it were Rachel Maddow who was the target instead. How do you think she would feel?

    In some ways, it’s kind of like using the N-word or the word “Queer”. If members of the minority groups targeted by these words use them to describe themselves it’s acceptable because by their being used in that way its considered a way of disempowering their hateful connotations, of taking ownership of these words ourselves, but that right of use does not extend to those outside of that community.

    I’m sure you’d agree that it would totally inappropriate for you, I, or any on-air personality who isn’t African-American themselves to use the N-word on the air. I submit to you that this case is no different. Coming from you, a born woman, denigrating Ann Coulter by saying she looks like a man is offensive, particularly to those of us who’ve heard that comment hurled at ourselves and our fellow transwomen as a slur in our own lives.

    Like most who do this kind of radio at any level, I dance pretty close to the edge in terms of what’s provocative and edgy and what’s truly offensive, but I also try my damnedest not to go over that line. Usually, I’m successful in that but sometimes I fail. This time, you danced over the edge, but you also came here, discussed it, and apologized. In my mind, that shows you to be a class act and at least a step above the vast majority. Most hosts who offend in this way wouldn’t even bother, considering it all part of the game. My hope is that you will now have a new level of understanding of the transgender experience, and perhaps an interest in what really makes us tick…and hey, a little bit of on-air coverage would be nice too! 😉

    Thanks for listening.

    Peace and Power,

    Becky Juro

  31. The reason I laugh at her appearance is obvious. She asks for it. Who goes on a NEWS show in the middle of the day in a black cocktail dress and sunglasses as if it’s a UNIFORM if they don’t want to hear about their appearance? That would be silly.

    Randi, this is deeply troubling. You’re parroting to the word the lines of rape apologists here.

    Seriously, I couldn’t despise Ann Coulter more than I already do, and it pisses me off to no end to have to defend her, but in addition to the transphobic stuff, you’re now getting into deeply anti-feminist rhetoric. It doesn’t matter what Ann Coulter wears. She’s a a monstrous font of diarrheic vitriol who disgorges a continual torrent of loathsome rhetoric and manages to emit accurate assertions with the same approximate frequency as photographic evidence of unicorns. Her appearance has nothing to do with that. Saying she’s an intellectually dishonest, mean-spirited, and useless plagiarist is good enough–and, more importantly, explains why she ought to be exiled from the public discourse. Being physically unattractive isn’t a disqualifier from having an opinion, and neither is one’s fashion sense.

    Constantly, constantly, I have conservatives commenting on my blog about how fat I am, how ugly, how “grotesque,” and they treat that as if it’s a legitimate counter to my arguments. Your above defense is transmitting precisely the same principle underlying that moronic horseshit: Women are to be criticized for their appearance rather than their ideas. Reinforcing that meme does a disservice to all women. I can’t believe you don’t care that you’re contributing to a culture in which it’s harder for all of us, just to get off some stale “jokes” about how Ann Coulter is ugly or mannish.

  32. The reason I laugh at her appearance is obvious. She asks for it. Who goes on a NEWS show in the middle of the day in a black cocktail dress and sunglasses as if it’s a UNIFORM if they don’t want to hear about their appearance? That would be silly.

    Randi, this is deeply troubling. You’re parroting to the word the lines of rape apologists here.

    Seriously, I couldn’t despise Ann Coulter more than I already do, and it pisses me off to no end to have to defend her, but in addition to the transphobic stuff, you’re now getting into deeply anti-feminist rhetoric. It doesn’t matter what Ann Coulter wears. She’s a a monstrous font of diarrheic vitriol who disgorges a continual torrent of loathsome rhetoric and manages to emit accurate assertions with the same approximate frequency as photographic evidence of unicorns. Her appearance has nothing to do with that. Saying she’s an intellectually dishonest, mean-spirited, and useless plagiarist is good enough–and, more importantly, explains why she ought to be exiled from the public discourse. Being physically unattractive isn’t a disqualifier from having an opinion, and neither is one’s fashion sense.

    Constantly, constantly, I have conservatives commenting on my blog about how fat I am, how ugly, how “grotesque,” and they treat that as if it’s a legitimate counter to my arguments. Your above defense is transmitting precisely the same principle underlying that moronic horseshit: Women are to be criticized for their appearance rather than their ideas. Reinforcing that meme does a disservice to all women. I can’t believe you don’t care that you’re contributing to a culture in which it’s harder for all of us, just to get off some stale “jokes” about how Ann Coulter is ugly or mannish.

  33. Randi, please don’t apologise for a failed attempt at humor, please understand why we are hurt. Please don’t explain to me why Ann Coulter is hurting other people. I live every day with the results of what she says…or reflects.

    Please understand why we are hurt by your previous comments likening Ann Coulter to transgender people (and transsexual women in particular) and address that alone.

    Transgendering and transitioning are acts of tremendous courage. As is loving someone who is not of the “opposite sex.”

    To belittle them, is not.

    To some, her calling John Edwards a “f*ggot” is about belittling John Edwards. To me, it is about belittling gay men, and thus by association, John Edwards. The assumption is that being gay is bad.

    Striking back at Ann Coulter by likening her to being transgendered, is to say that Ann Coulter can be hurt in the public eye by being lumped with in the other “undesirables.” That hurt my feelings. Saying that her vitriol comes from a similar place to a transwoman beginning to take hormones – hormones that in the long run will help her feel better about herself – is not funny.

    The relief one has from having hormones that match your mind and brain, is actually a diagnostic of transsexualism. The rollercoaster ride that first ensues evens out to a feeling of normalcy with time.

    Randi, you know as well as I that feelings are real, and valid. If anything, Ann’s public persona is about, not feeling real, and not being a valid person, unless you think like she does.

    As she is, Ann wouldn’t have the guts to transition. She should aspire to have the courage it takes to be a gay man, a lesbian, or a transgendered person in a society that belittles us, even hates us for existing. She should use that courage to say, “I was wrong, and I will try to heal the hurts I have caused” She should spend the incredible amount of energy it will take to do so.

    What is most hurtful to me is that the comments are not original with you, but are also the words of other liberal/progressive commentators. (I am a liberal/progressive person, just to get that out in the open.) I feel betrayed. Yes, I feel hurt, too.

    And yes, I am a transitioned, transsexual woman. A proud, defiant woman who has gone through an experience I would not wish on anyone, yet I would not trade for the world, because it has made me whole.

    Please, just try to remember our courage when you think about transgender people, and if you want to Love ALL ways, please say so on the air.

    Thank you.

    Love,

    Karen St. John

  34. Randi, please don’t apologise for a failed attempt at humor, please understand why we are hurt. Please don’t explain to me why Ann Coulter is hurting other people. I live every day with the results of what she says…or reflects.

    Please understand why we are hurt by your previous comments likening Ann Coulter to transgender people (and transsexual women in particular) and address that alone.

    Transgendering and transitioning are acts of tremendous courage. As is loving someone who is not of the “opposite sex.”

    To belittle them, is not.

    To some, her calling John Edwards a “f*ggot” is about belittling John Edwards. To me, it is about belittling gay men, and thus by association, John Edwards. The assumption is that being gay is bad.

    Striking back at Ann Coulter by likening her to being transgendered, is to say that Ann Coulter can be hurt in the public eye by being lumped with in the other “undesirables.” That hurt my feelings. Saying that her vitriol comes from a similar place to a transwoman beginning to take hormones – hormones that in the long run will help her feel better about herself – is not funny.

    The relief one has from having hormones that match your mind and brain, is actually a diagnostic of transsexualism. The rollercoaster ride that first ensues evens out to a feeling of normalcy with time.

    Randi, you know as well as I that feelings are real, and valid. If anything, Ann’s public persona is about, not feeling real, and not being a valid person, unless you think like she does.

    As she is, Ann wouldn’t have the guts to transition. She should aspire to have the courage it takes to be a gay man, a lesbian, or a transgendered person in a society that belittles us, even hates us for existing. She should use that courage to say, “I was wrong, and I will try to heal the hurts I have caused” She should spend the incredible amount of energy it will take to do so.

    What is most hurtful to me is that the comments are not original with you, but are also the words of other liberal/progressive commentators. (I am a liberal/progressive person, just to get that out in the open.) I feel betrayed. Yes, I feel hurt, too.

    And yes, I am a transitioned, transsexual woman. A proud, defiant woman who has gone through an experience I would not wish on anyone, yet I would not trade for the world, because it has made me whole.

    Please, just try to remember our courage when you think about transgender people, and if you want to Love ALL ways, please say so on the air.

    Thank you.

    Love,

    Karen St. John

  35. I am offended a tad at your comment, isinuating that you know my feelings better than I or that I’m being disinginuous

    I’m sorry that you felt offended. I have tremendous respect for you, I write to you out of love. You stated that you were hurt while at the same time denying hurt feelings.I believe in helping those we love understand truth. I honestly do not profess to know your feeling better than you, I simply commented on my observations.

    It’s not that I don’t accept it. It’s that I would much rather know that she gets it.

    I understand what you mean. If you realize that she gets it, will you then accept her apology?

    Randi and I share something together professionally. She gets paid to do this, and I’m there to listen. But that doesn’t mean that I know her
    personally.

    I think you share much more. Otherwise her words would not be so hurtful. Think about it. If Rush were to say these things would you be hurt? I assert that you do know her and have a relationship with her. You have not met her personally but you thought you knew her to be better than this. Maybe she won’t let you down after all. I hope that is the case. It’s important to have heros. Unfortunately, most heros are human and as such are flawed.

    Love without understanding isn’t love.

    With respect, I disagree with this point. When I came out to my mother while I was in intensive care with my wrists stiched up, she said to me, “Honey, I may not understand this right now, but I love you no matter what” I needed her love. Understanding would come later. I believe that love facilitates understanding, which is a process.

    I’m not sure I did educate Randi. I’m not sure that she really does get what I’m saying. The whole “Ann really does look like a man” comment shows that. More than anything, I simply want to know that she heard me.

    AMEN. The proof will be whether Randi cares enough to soul search and be able to identify with this pain and take responsibility for her words. I really hope so. If not, that will be really disapointing. She will still be of great value but she may not garner the level of our trust that we had for her. She would lose that. I think and hope that that will matter to her.

    Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta get my cruise on with Rosie

    Have a wonderful vacation!

  36. Marti

    I know you are not a constant listener to the show but not everyone is, so I can understand why you accused me of NOT taking the material Ann spews apart rather than taking ANN apart.

    Indeed I have taken that women’s rantings apart one by one. Each and every time she says something heinous I record it and play the clip and show her for what she truly is. A HATER for PROFIT.

    The reason I laugh at her appearance is obvious. She asks for it. Who goes on a NEWS show in the middle of the day in a black cocktail dress and sunglasses as if it’s a UNIFORM if they don’t want to hear about their appearance? That would be silly.

    It’s just another part of her outrageous ACT to get attention for her book sales. That in and of itself would be a meaningless piece of “schtick” if what she was selling was equally harmless.

    This is not the case with dear Ann. Ann is a purveyor of ONE very vile idea. That is: Every American has not only permission to hate liberals, atheists, gays, transgendered, blacks, browns and even Republicans who are not NEO Conservaitve, every American has a DUTY to do so or they are TRAITORS to this Nation.

    It’s sick, and it SELLS Marti. THAT is the reality of where we are today.

    I have taken her books apart, almost page by page on the air. Played audio clips of her saying Clinton was a rapist, the 9/11 Widows were enjoying their husbands death sooo much, Elizabeth Edwards was milking her cancer, John Edwards has a bumper sticker on his car “Ask me about my dead son”, etc.

    I’ve tried to debunk every damn hideous thing that woman has ever said to create phony controversy in order to enrich herself.

    I guess because the propoganda machine has done such an amazing job on a country that was feeling frightened and vulnerable that a good portion of this country believes that John Edwards HAS a bumper sticker on his car that says “Ask me about my dead son” that Bill Clinton IS a rapist and that the 9/11 Jersey Girls WERE exploiting their husbands deaths for PROFIT.

    Therein lies the difference between me and Coulter. I may be just another media whore to you, but I have integrity, a conscience and I will call out a fraud when I see one (which is a full time job in and of itself!) even when all other media is allowing her to appear HONEST and WORTHY.

    AND Marti, I will apologize if I offend needlessly. I am not ugly or above offering a sincere apology which I again offer to you.

    I have a big heart. It hurts BIG when I’ve made someone hurt. My goal is to undo the propogandists and entertain in order to get people to allow me inside to do it.

    Coulter makes my job ridiculously hard. People either think I’m a liar or a fraud because I got after her, or just as bad as she is when I take her on (like you do).

    But I won’t allow good people to be “swiftboated” so I stand up and mock her ACT.

    I think she’s a shrill shreiking FRAUD. Including the little black cocktail dress and the blonde hair while she sits there and declares that Hillary Clinton MARRIED HER WAY TO THE TOP and that Monica Lewinsky was the WHORE. Meanwhile Coulter insists that she has used nothing but her brains to get where she is today. I don’t know where she is today, but I bet I know where she’ll be in say 100 years.

    Now obviously I am huge dissapointment to you. I can only ask that you give me a little latitude in the humor department. 3 hours live everday is bound to produce BAD COMEDY. However, I doubt anyone else in my profession would care.

    I DO sincerely care as I certainly do “get it”.

    I also know how difficult transitioning is. I have been there for someone through the pain, the expense, the crazy hormones, the “shunning”, the hostility from “family and friends”. But I also know the comfort, the humor and the personal joy and personal pride that is at the end of the long bumpy TOLL road!

    I operate from a good place Marti. Not from hate or ignorance.

    Love ALL ways,
    Randi

  37. Marti

    I know you are not a constant listener to the show but not everyone is, so I can understand why you accused me of NOT taking the material Ann spews apart rather than taking ANN apart.

    Indeed I have taken that women’s rantings apart one by one. Each and every time she says something heinous I record it and play the clip and show her for what she truly is. A HATER for PROFIT.

    The reason I laugh at her appearance is obvious. She asks for it. Who goes on a NEWS show in the middle of the day in a black cocktail dress and sunglasses as if it’s a UNIFORM if they don’t want to hear about their appearance? That would be silly.

    It’s just another part of her outrageous ACT to get attention for her book sales. That in and of itself would be a meaningless piece of “schtick” if what she was selling was equally harmless.

    This is not the case with dear Ann. Ann is a purveyor of ONE very vile idea. That is: Every American has not only permission to hate liberals, atheists, gays, transgendered, blacks, browns and even Republicans who are not NEO Conservaitve, every American has a DUTY to do so or they are TRAITORS to this Nation.

    It’s sick, and it SELLS Marti. THAT is the reality of where we are today.

    I have taken her books apart, almost page by page on the air. Played audio clips of her saying Clinton was a rapist, the 9/11 Widows were enjoying their husbands death sooo much, Elizabeth Edwards was milking her cancer, John Edwards has a bumper sticker on his car “Ask me about my dead son”, etc.

    I’ve tried to debunk every damn hideous thing that woman has ever said to create phony controversy in order to enrich herself.

    I guess because the propoganda machine has done such an amazing job on a country that was feeling frightened and vulnerable that a good portion of this country believes that John Edwards HAS a bumper sticker on his car that says “Ask me about my dead son” that Bill Clinton IS a rapist and that the 9/11 Jersey Girls WERE exploiting their husbands deaths for PROFIT.

    Therein lies the difference between me and Coulter. I may be just another media whore to you, but I have integrity, a conscience and I will call out a fraud when I see one (which is a full time job in and of itself!) even when all other media is allowing her to appear HONEST and WORTHY.

    AND Marti, I will apologize if I offend needlessly. I am not ugly or above offering a sincere apology which I again offer to you.

    I have a big heart. It hurts BIG when I’ve made someone hurt. My goal is to undo the propogandists and entertain in order to get people to allow me inside to do it.

    Coulter makes my job ridiculously hard. People either think I’m a liar or a fraud because I got after her, or just as bad as she is when I take her on (like you do).

    But I won’t allow good people to be “swiftboated” so I stand up and mock her ACT.

    I think she’s a shrill shreiking FRAUD. Including the little black cocktail dress and the blonde hair while she sits there and declares that Hillary Clinton MARRIED HER WAY TO THE TOP and that Monica Lewinsky was the WHORE. Meanwhile Coulter insists that she has used nothing but her brains to get where she is today. I don’t know where she is today, but I bet I know where she’ll be in say 100 years.

    Now obviously I am huge dissapointment to you. I can only ask that you give me a little latitude in the humor department. 3 hours live everday is bound to produce BAD COMEDY. However, I doubt anyone else in my profession would care.

    I DO sincerely care as I certainly do “get it”.

    I also know how difficult transitioning is. I have been there for someone through the pain, the expense, the crazy hormones, the “shunning”, the hostility from “family and friends”. But I also know the comfort, the humor and the personal joy and personal pride that is at the end of the long bumpy TOLL road!

    I operate from a good place Marti. Not from hate or ignorance.

    Love ALL ways,
    Randi

  38. “You were hurt, admit it.”

    Well, my sense of value isn’t found in Randi, but I will admit that I didn’t think ever think she’d ever travel down this road. I am offended a tad at your comment, isinuating that you know my feelings better than I or that I’m being disinginuous. I take great pains to live an
    open and honest life. If I didn’t, I couldn’t live the life that I do.

    “You also don’t accept Randi’s apology. Why? You seem very skilled at imparting your wisdom in very cogent and intelligent terms.”

    It’s not that I don’t accept it. It’s that I would much rather know that she gets it.

    “However, I find myself wishing that you could also experience a break through and lessen your defenses so that your vulnerability becomes a human quality that everyone can relate to.”

    You’re mistaken, in that I need a break through. I don’t know Randi personally. I have no emotional crisis that I need to recognize. Randi and I share something together professionally. She gets paid to do this, and I’m there to listen. But that doesn’t mean that I know her
    personally.

    “LOVE is what we all need from each other to feel safe. Its what Randi appears to be offering you yet you block that flow by placing a greater importance on your words to her.”

    Love without understanding isn’t love.

    ” My belief is that your goal was to facilitate increased awareness for Randi and rightly so. Once you accomplished this was your mission completed? Maybe we all need to open our hearts so that we can heal. ”

    I’m not sure I did educate Randi. I’m not sure that she really does get what I’m saying. The whole “Ann really does look like a man” comment shows that. More than anything, I simply want to know that she heard me.

    Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta get my cruise on with Rosie O. 🙂

  39. Dear Marti,
    You were hurt, admit it.
    You’ve actually stated this but then try to deny it. If you can’t be brave enough to admit your real feelings, how will people truly and deeply experience the important message that you are trying to convey?? You also don’t accept Randi’s apology. Why? You seem very skilled at imparting your wisdom in very cogent and intelligent terms. However, I find myself wishing that you could also experience a break through and lessen your defenses so that your vulnerability becomes a human quality that everyone can relate to. Sometimes the tough stand can place an obstacle to true communication. The human connection is really the only way to facilitate understanding and bonding. LOVE is what we all need from each other to feel safe. Its what Randi appears to be offering you yet you block that flow by placing a greater importance on your words to her. My belief is that your goal was to facilitate increased awareness for Randi and rightly so. Once you accomplished this was your mission completed? Maybe we all need to open our hearts so that we can heal. Protecting ourselves from present danger is essential but it seems that strength also lies in trusting our own ability to handle disappointments and not feel fundamentally threatened by them. One thing that is certain is that people will always disappoint each other but when they surround one another with love and caring, anything can be worked out. Otherwise we have no hope.
    LOVE and many blessings to you, Marti.

  40. “This is my second attempt at posting a reply because I feel awful about your PERCEPTION of who I am. Can YOU imagine that? Being misunderstood?”

    Randi, honestly, I’m feeling bad because I feel like you don’t understand,even still.

    1. This is SO below you!

    2. If you have a friend that transitioned, you should know how hateful people are! I’ve lost friends and family because of this. And early on I didn’t pass well. Think of walking out into a new world where a huge percentage of it already mocks and attacks you? Randi, there are transwomen and transmen that are DEAD because of the disgust and hatred. You mocked her, by mocking every stereotype of a transwoman. And honestly, what if she is trans? I just cant see, for the life of me, how you can’t see how hurtful this is.

    What you SHOULD be talking about is that she:

    1. falsely accused former President Bill Clinton of being a “very good rapist.”

    2. falsely claimed Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) refused to release his military records and tax forms during his 2004 presidential campaign, when, in fact, both were posted on his website.

    3. falsely claimed that former President Clinton’s private secretary was the highest-placed African-American in the Clinton administration.

    4. falsely accused The New York Times of “out[ing]” gay children of prominent conservatives.

    5. falsely claimed the Arizona Daily Star dropped her syndicated column to “keep[] conservatives out.”

    6. erroneously claimed that liberal financier George Soros “said the reason for anti-Semitism is the Jews.”

    7. falsely accused University of Chicago professor Steven D. Levitt and Stanford University professor John J. Donohue III — whom she identified as “liberals” — of “defending Roe v. Wade.”

    8. falsely asserted that Elizabeth Edwards — whom she identified as the “white wife of vice presidential candidate John Edwards” — “warned of riots unless John Kerry is elected.”

    And that’s just the surface. There’s so much more you COULD punk her tired, smarmy, fictional ass on, but instead you personally attack her body. You not only did a disservice to transsexuals, you did a disservice to your audience by not filling them in on how corrupt her words and ideas are.

    The ugliness of Ann Coulter isn’t her gender identity or expression, it’s her hatred for other human beings and complete lack of compassion or humanity. You want to show people her ugliness, it’s only a book away, and FYI, it’s not the cover.

    Namaste

  41. “I am so sorry that some of my humor was a failed and that it hurt you”

    I wasn’t hurt Randi, I was disappointed. I really think that you are talented, but damn, you didn’t show it with that material. As I said in the podcast, what makes you any different from Ann? Anyone that produces media content, from a blog to a nationwide radio show is a whore of some kind. I’m a good writer. But I like my work being praised. I’m no Emily Dickinson. Unless I sit at home writing to myself, I’m whoring to some extent.

    “It allows her entre into the elite media where she spews some of the most WICKED evil things about gays, transgendered, liberals, atheists, and just about anyone who doesn’t buy her BULLSHIT AND BOOKS! Most especially her books!”

    So attack the bullshit books! Attack her moronic, illogical, and factually deficient points. Hell Randi, that isn’t hard to do.

    “”I am so sorry that some of my humor was a failed and that it hurt you”

    I wasn’t hurt Randi, I was disappointed. I really think that you are talented, but damn, you didn’t show it with that material. As I said in the podcast, what makes you any different from Ann? Anyone that produces media content, from a blog to a nationwide radio show is a whore of some kind. I’m a good writer. But I like my work being praised. I’m no Emily Dickinson. Unless I sit at home writing to myself, I’m whoring to some extent.

    “It allows her entre into the elite media where she spews some of the most WICKED evil things about gays, transgendered, liberals, atheists, and just about anyone who doesn’t buy her BULLSHIT AND BOOKS! Most especially her books!”

    So attack the bullshit books! Attack her moronic, illogical, and factually deficient
    points. Hell Randi, that isn’t hard to do. I’m glad you came on here to apologize and I’m grateful for that, but what I hope for more is that you understand what I’m saying.

    “She looks like a man to me”

    SO WHAT? Why is that ok to mock? And further more, what does a “woman” look like? If she was obese, would you mock her weight? Her skin color? She has NO control over her genes.

    Randi, you made her out to be a transsexual. The only transsexuals people SEE are the ones that don’t pass as women (many others simply blend into society). Gender variant people that don’t fit into one category or another are often mocked and humiliated because they don’t fit into a male or female category. Your rant was the type of “humor” that helps nurture other people’s hatred and disgust of those gender variant people.

    “However, she’d never give up her “female” role as it paves the way for her to make MEGA BUCKS off of her rants against people like US and by that I mean GOOD people, who believe in freedom and kindness, understanding and meaningful LOVE.”

    Mock her stupid comments. Her factless books. She’s a good fiction writer for the “mind numbed robots” of the right (thanks Rush), just as James Dobson is for the left. No one contests their facts, they just go on unabated.

    “Please accept my apoplogy if I led you to believe that I don’t know any transgender people”

    If you know a transgender person, ask them how my post made them feel about your comments.

    I’m a loyal listener, and in the realm of talk radio, you are a mentor for me. You can punch people when they need it, you have your facts straight, and most of all you’re entertaining. But Randi, this was like a punch in the gut.

    Rather than apologize, I hope my words find meaning. I hope you understand why this is so hurtful.

  42. This is my second attempt at posting a reply because I feel awful about your PERCEPTION of who I am. Can YOU imagine that? Being misunderstood?

    I am honesty sorry if my attempt at humor failed.

    I have only the greatest of intentions when I go after the likes of Ann Coulter who spews HATE ad naseum. She despises people like US -and by this I mean good and decent warm and loving people WHO DON’T BUY HER BULL***t OR her BOOKS.

    She has attacked you deliberatly, attacked me shamelessly, all liberals, atheists and anyone who gets in her way, on her nerves or in her pocket.

    The little black cocktail dress and long blonde hair routine is her entre into the elite media where she gets access to large audiences who she gives PERMISSION to hate. She VALIDATES them and I’m sick of it. You can’t shame her into being truthful or kind. She is a person without conscience.

    My friends come in all genders. I helped my friend transition. I saw her “friends” leave skid marks because it was just too much for them. I know what this is. And because I do, I take liberties. That means I try to make you laugh at yourself. Perhaps I was wrong to try. I meant to let you know that I am aware of what it’s like to suddenly have your hormones TOTALY OUT OF CONTROL. That’s all.

    Sometimes jokes don’t play well. I am sorry for the lame attempt and will try to do better. My heart is in the right place.

    I only wish you the best life possible and much LOVE

    ALL ways,

    Randi Rhodes

  43. I am so sorry that some of my humor was a failed and that it hurt you.

    My show tries to call out hideous shameless people who say hateful things by showing them for the media whores they are. Ann’s entire “thing” is the black cocktail dress and long blonde hair. It allows her entre into the elite media where she spews some of the most WICKED evil things about gays, transgendered, liberals, atheists, and just about anyone who doesn’t buy her BULLSHIT AND BOOKS! Most especially her books!

    She looks like a man to me, however, she’d never give up her “female” role as it paves the way for her to make MEGA BUCKS off of her rants against people like US and by that I mean GOOD people, who believe in freedom and kindness, understanding and meaningful LOVE.

    Please accept my apoplogy if I led you to believe that I don’t know any transgender people or that I am not someone who loves deeply the person inside and NOT the exterior.

    Knowing the exterior matters, I wish you all success in your journey.

    Love ALL ways,
    Randi Rhodes

  44. I am so sorry that some of my humor was a failed and that it hurt you.

    My show tries to call out hideous shameless people who say hateful things by showing them for the media whores they are. Ann’s entire “thing” is the black cocktail dress and long blonde hair. It allows her entre into the elite media where she spews some of the most WICKED evil things about gays, transgendered, liberals, atheists, and just about anyone who doesn’t buy her BULLSHIT AND BOOKS! Most especially her books!

    She looks like a man to me, however, she’d never give up her “female” role as it paves the way for her to make MEGA BUCKS off of her rants against people like US and by that I mean GOOD people, who believe in freedom and kindness, understanding and meaningful LOVE.

    Please accept my apoplogy if I led you to believe that I don’t know any transgender people or that I am not someone who loves deeply the person inside and NOT the exterior.

    Knowing the exterior matters, I wish you all success in your journey.

    Love ALL ways,
    Randi Rhodes

  45. Best quote ever (near the end of the 2nd link) Randi Rhodes castigating Ann Coulter for implying that John Edwards was a “faggot”: “John Edwards is more masculine than Ann Coulter.”

    You’ve managed to find a 14-minute clip and a 3-minute clip where Randi Rhodes says absolutely nothing of value to society. I get the impression that these clips are representative of the rest of her show.

    Two problems: First, there’s a heckuva lot of political “dialogue” on AM airwaves and the internet that consists of people breaking down into the blue team and the red team, and explaining at great length how their team is awesome, and members of the other team suck.

    Second, a lot of this involves ‘you suck cuz yer’ queer’ which is even worse than ‘you suck cuz yer’ lame.’ Suddenly inane blather denigrates a whole class of people. And it’s so freakin’ commonplace. Furthermore, in the case of calling people ‘queer’ (certainly ‘trans’) it seems that most of society accepts– even expects it from talking heads.

    I’m tired of this. If people want to use the public’s airwaves, they should 1) say something constructive and 2) say it without defaming anyone. It’s really easy to do. And if it’s not as profitable as hateful speech, it’s not my problem– go over to satellite radio, your own blog or whatever… and stop wasting the public’s resources. And when you go, don’t expect me to take you seriously or buy any products from your sponsors– that’s not your birthright.

  46. Best quote ever (near the end of the 2nd link) Randi Rhodes castigating Ann Coulter for implying that John Edwards was a “faggot”: “John Edwards is more masculine than Ann Coulter.”

    You’ve managed to find a 14-minute clip and a 3-minute clip where Randi Rhodes says absolutely nothing of value to society. I get the impression that these clips are representative of the rest of her show.

    Two problems: First, there’s a heckuva lot of political “dialogue” on AM airwaves and the internet that consists of people breaking down into the blue team and the red team, and explaining at great length how their team is awesome, and members of the other team suck.

    Second, a lot of this involves ‘you suck cuz yer’ queer’ which is even worse than ‘you suck cuz yer’ lame.’ Suddenly inane blather denigrates a whole class of people. And it’s so freakin’ commonplace. Furthermore, in the case of calling people ‘queer’ (certainly ‘trans’) it seems that most of society accepts– even expects it from talking heads.

    I’m tired of this. If people want to use the public’s airwaves, they should 1) say something constructive and 2) say it without defaming anyone. It’s really easy to do. And if it’s not as profitable as hateful speech, it’s not my problem– go over to satellite radio, your own blog or whatever… and stop wasting the public’s resources. And when you go, don’t expect me to take you seriously or buy any products from your sponsors– that’s not your birthright.

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