Washington, D.C. - On Sept. 13, Anderson Live will feature an exclusive interview with a person who claims an anti-baldness drug made them transgender. In response to the show's decision to air the segment, National Center for Transgender Equality Executive Director Mara Keisling said:
"All of us here at the National Center for Transgender Equality are surprised, saddened and disappointed that a respected show like Anderson Live would give credence to this type of sensationalism and misinformation. This segment is just another case of sensationalizing an already marginalized population plain and simple."
The segment, as described on the Anderson Live website, says "Mandi, who was born male, speaks out for the first time, claiming that a hair loss treatment caused him to become transgender. Mandi is joined by her ex-wife, Michelle, who opens up about how Mandi's identity transformation has affected their son."
Keisling added, "In the past, Anderson Cooper and his team have earned a great deal of respect from trans people for their coverage of our issues. Tomorrow, they'll throw all of that away. Worst of all, they seem set on misinforming the public about the causality of trans identity."
Anderson Cooper's other show, AC360 on CNN, airs a segment called "Keeping Them Honest," in which he addresses hypocrisy among public figures and elected officials on, among other things, critical lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. NCTE urges transgender advocates and allies to keep Anderson Cooper honest about how this segment does real harm to real trans people.
"Anderson Cooper knows better than this. Anderson's team is better than this," said Keisling.
To speak with Laverne Cox, Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112 (c) 202-631-9640.
The National Center for Transgender Equality is a national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people. By empowering transgender people and our allies to educate and influence policymakers and others, NCTE facilitates a strong and clear voice for transgender equality in our nation's capital and around the country. The National Center for Transgender Equality is a 501(c)3 organization.
