Did you hear Bo and Jim joking about the trans child? If so, Autumn wants to know

Autumn Sandeen

On Thursday, I posted this blog about a bit on the Bo & Jim morning show on Lone Star 92.5 FM, in which the morning show hosts “discussed” this recent news story about a transgender 7-year-old in Colorado, born biologically male, who was rejected when she tried to join the Girl Scouts. (The Girl Scouts later reversed that decision, saying the worker who rejected the child did not understand the organization’s policies.)

Bo and Jim decided to make a joke out of this child’s situation, actually laughing as they joked about the child getting beaten up.

After I posted the blog, I got an email from trans activist Autumn Sandeen of San Diego, who had worked with Kim Pearson, executive director of TransYouth Family Allies, to address a similar situation that occurred with radio DJs in Sacramento. Autumn is looking for other people who may have heard the comments by Bo and Jim (they don’t post audio of their show online), and for a list of advertisers on the Bo and Jim show. That’s information, she said, that’s necessary to respond effectively.

So if anybody else out there was listening to Lone Star 92.5 on Thursday morning and heard the comments in question, or if any of you know who might be advertising on that program, let us know. You can leave a message here on this post, or send me an email here at nash@dallasvoice.com.

4 Comments

Justin Nichols on October 29, 2011 at 10:18 am

Tammye, I think you’re article earlier this week was an adequate response. I did not hear the radio show, but the truth is, when people hear about these types of things (i.e. gender identity issues with children), many people fear that the child will have a hard time in school. In fact, many news stories on this issue quote the child’s mother that Bobby recently wore a dress to school and was teased by classmates. It’s a legitimate concern, and while perhaps Bo and Jim weren’t solemn enough in discussing it, it doesn’t mean they were advocating that this child should be bullied, just that the child may well be bullied – a reality which is probably true, regrettably.

You did a good job, Tammye, of highlighting Bo and Jim’s sensitivity on the Chaz story, and then proposing that this situation be used as a teaching moment, not a chance to turn potential allies against us. Autumn’s request for a list of advertisers suggests that she may be encouraging a boycott or complaint to advertisers over this issues, and quite frankly, that’s ridiculous. The overreaction of Autumn is precisely the reason some people are turned off by the LGBT rights movement.

Every misstep does not reveal ill intention, and certainly doesn’t automatically reveal a flaw in character. There are plenty of people in this world who do have ill intentions, and Autumn should be focused on them. Jim and Bo are not anti-LGBT, and the mere threat of obtaining a list of advertisers would make me very disinterested in working with an advocacy group.

Autumn Sandeen on October 29, 2011 at 11:00 am

You can also send me a message directly at autumn [at] firedoglake [dot] com.

Tammye Nash on October 30, 2011 at 12:33 pm

Justin: I do not listen Lone Star 92.5 consistently in the mornings. I usually am listening to KERA. However, from what I have been told, this is not the first time, in recent months, that Bo and Jim have “been insensitive” on trans issues. I don’t know the details of the other incident, so I can’t speak to that. BUT I do know I heard these two men laughingly talk about the prospect of a seven year old being beaten up. To me, that is a bit more than being a bit insensitive. (Of course, as the parent of two sons who have been bullied, one of them to the point of being physically attacked, I may be a bit sensitive on this myself.) Still, the “I’m sorry, I will try to do better” statement is not an adequate apology

Justin Nichols on October 30, 2011 at 6:26 pm

Tammye, I always enjoy your candid and respectful discourse. I have a lot of respect for the work you do. It pains me to hear about your sons being bullied. I’m so lucky I had teachers and mentors who helped me rise above the bullies I faced, and I pray that your sons finds similar sources of strength, in addition to you and yours.

It is such a delicate balance between being knowing the line between a zealous advocate and overextending. I concede it may well be best to err on the side of too much advocacy than not enough. I do know one thing, though. I’m glad that you;re amongst the growing army of advocates and allies in this nation 🙂

Justin Nichols on October 29, 2011 at 10:18 am

Tammye, I think you’re article earlier this week was an adequate response. I did not hear the radio show, but the truth is, when people hear about these types of things (i.e. gender identity issues with children), many people fear that the child will have a hard time in school. In fact, many news stories on this issue quote the child’s mother that Bobby recently wore a dress to school and was teased by classmates. It’s a legitimate concern, and while perhaps Bo and Jim weren’t solemn enough in discussing it, it doesn’t mean they were advocating that this child should be bullied, just that the child may well be bullied – a reality which is probably true, regrettably.

You did a good job, Tammye, of highlighting Bo and Jim’s sensitivity on the Chaz story, and then proposing that this situation be used as a teaching moment, not a chance to turn potential allies against us. Autumn’s request for a list of advertisers suggests that she may be encouraging a boycott or complaint to advertisers over this issues, and quite frankly, that’s ridiculous. The overreaction of Autumn is precisely the reason some people are turned off by the LGBT rights movement.

Every misstep does not reveal ill intention, and certainly doesn’t automatically reveal a flaw in character. There are plenty of people in this world who do have ill intentions, and Autumn should be focused on them. Jim and Bo are not anti-LGBT, and the mere threat of obtaining a list of advertisers would make me very disinterested in working with an advocacy group.
Autumn Sandeen on October 29, 2011 at 11:00 am

You can also send me a message directly at autumn [at] firedoglake [dot] com.
Tammye Nash on October 30, 2011 at 12:33 pm

Justin: I do not listen Lone Star 92.5 consistently in the mornings. I usually am listening to KERA. However, from what I have been told, this is not the first time, in recent months, that Bo and Jim have “been insensitive” on trans issues. I don’t know the details of the other incident, so I can’t speak to that. BUT I do know I heard these two men laughingly talk about the prospect of a seven year old being beaten up. To me, that is a bit more than being a bit insensitive. (Of course, as the parent of two sons who have been bullied, one of them to the point of being physically attacked, I may be a bit sensitive on this myself.) Still, the “I’m sorry, I will try to do better” statement is not an adequate apology
Justin Nichols on October 30, 2011 at 6:26 pm

Tammye, I always enjoy your candid and respectful discourse. I have a lot of respect for the work you do. It pains me to hear about your sons being bullied. I’m so lucky I had teachers and mentors who helped me rise above the bullies I faced, and I pray that your sons finds similar sources of strength, in addition to you and yours.

It is such a delicate balance between being knowing the line between a zealous advocate and overextending. I concede it may well be best to err on the side of too much advocacy than not enough. I do know one thing, though. I’m glad that you;re amongst the growing army of advocates and allies in this nation 🙂