Transphobic man threatened by trans activist after addressing her as ‘Sir’
Anti-LGBT commentator Ben Shapiro faced the wrath of transgender activist Zoe Tur live on air, after repeatedly referring to the female reporter with pronouns such as “him” and “sir”.
The pair were taking part in a live TV debate, discussing Caitlyn Jenner’s recent acceptance of the Arthur Ashe Award at this year’s ESPN awards, reports Breitbart.
However, it wasn’t long before the conversation took an ugly turn, after the ultra-conservative Shapiro made a number of transphobic comments – repeatedly referring to both Tur and Jenner as “he”, “him” and “sir”.
Asked by host Dr. Drew Pinsky whether Jenner deserved the award after “fighting a new battle,” Shapiro enquired: “What exactly is the battle?
“I mean, self-definition is what you do, and my baby’s doing it at 18 months old. I was unaware that you get a medal for it.”
Tur, – a former fighter pilot – who was visibly upset by Shapiro’s comments, responded: “Of course she’s brave.
“All those years invested as the sports legend, to come out transgender is horribly difficult. It is the most difficult thing you can do.
“I’ve been overseas, I’ve flown helicopter missions, surveillance missions, I’ve been shot, stabbed. Being brave is being yourself. And being transgender is about the bravest thing you can do.”
Shapiro responded in typically venomous fashion, saying: “Facts don’t care about your feelings.
“It turns out that every chromosome, every cell in Caitlyn Jenner’s body, is male, with the exception of some of his sperm cells.”
Turning to Ms Tur, Shapiro then asked her, “What are your genetics, sir?”. He did not take long for Mr Shapiro to realise this may have been a mistake.
Placing a hand on her tormentor’s back, Tur warned: “You cut that out now, or you’ll go home in an ambulance.”
And although Shapiro pleaded innocence, the rest of the panel soon turned on Shapiro, challenging his anti-LGBT views.
However, he remained unmoved: “It’s not a matter of aggressively insulting,” he said. “The entire discussion is whether we are embracing mental illness and delusion as a society.”
Jenner has received an outpouring of support since her heartfelt speech at the awards – however, not everybody has been so supportive.
Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield rejected the star’s ordeal, saying: “I just know that’s Bruce Jenner and I’ll leave it at that.”
Watch the full confrontation here.
