Black Trans Community Sends Open Letter to BET
August 3, 2020
Scott Mills, President
BET Networks
1515 Broadway
NY, NY 10036
Dear Mr. Mills:
Collectively we are transgender members of the Black community writing to call for an end to transphobia at BET. By transforming the network into a place where trans people are both integrated and visible, through concrete action outlined in this letter, BET can fulfill its vision to be a network for all African-Americans.
During this current Black Lives Matter moment, the pattern of transphobia at BET matters to the larger fight for liberation. The network, through its tentpole events like the BET Awards, attracts nearly 1 out of 10 Black people in the United States. Since the end of the Civil War, we have learned from various attempts to prioritize the rights of some Black people over others, that we are all free or no one is. Consequently the road to freedom for everyone is much steeper if a Black media company with an extensive reach is transphobic. That’s why we must hold BET accountable for any gaps between what it says and what it does, especially in the light of the horrific levels of violence against Black transgender people, particularly Black trans women. To be blunt about it, BET has a responsibility here that it is not meeting.
The latest episode of trans erasure by BET occurred during the BET Awards show on June 28th. The BET Awards, also the same day as Pride, continuously touted the network’s connection to Black Lives Matter. BET’s commitment to the entire Black community did not necessarily match its words.
A BET Awards show ad by transgender journalist and activist Imara Jones, which called for an end to violence against Black transgender women did not air. We join Imara’s call for a full public accounting of why this ad did not run during the show. We underscore the need to answer the question of whether anyone at BET or its awards show broadcast partner CBS were in any way involved in cancelling this spot. The network’s ongoing reisistance to responding publicly to this question only compounds the hurt and sense of erasure for trans people.
However this episode is only the most recent in a long line of transphobic incidents at BET.
In 2013 B.Scott, who is non-binary, was removed by BET from a Red Carpet assignment at the pre-awards show that year for dressing in a way deemed too feminine. That case was litigated and settled. Rather than using this incident as a wake up call for how BET interacts with the transgender community, the network continued mostly with business as usual when it comes to gender identity.
As actor Angelica Ross has pointed out, no trans person has ever been nominated for a BET Award before or after B. Scott’s incident. Additionally no trans artist has ever been asked to perform at the BET Awards. And besides Laverne Cox in 2015, no trans person has served as a presenter for the program.
Unfortunately what has been true for the awards show is also true for the network’s wider offerings. There are no trans people as regular cast members for BET’s scripted shows, not to mention trans directors or show runners, nor trans executives either at the junior or senior level at BET.
As part of a response, the network might be inclined to point out the inclusion of Black transgender people in its Black Excellence Trilogy online, its social media effort #29DaysofBlackExcellence, or the inclusion of actor MJ Rodriguez as part of the opening sequence of the 2019 BET Soul Train Awards. While all are true, it is also an undeniable fact that on the flagship BET network, in entertainment and news, trans erasure seems the rule rather than the exception. Moreover this extends to roles both in front of and behind the camera, as well as to decision making across the board.
Consequently, in addition to calling for answers central to Imara’s case, we demand the following:
- BET must hire, retain and promote transgender people at all levels;
- BET must include transgender characters and shows on its flagship network, and trans people must be involved in the writing, production and running of these programs;
- The company’s news offerings must cover transgender issues with transgender presenters, writers and researchers as part of the creation of this content;
- Everyone at BET must undergo gender sensitivity and bias training through a Black lens led by Black transgender people;
- BET must hire transgender vendors and contractors; and
- Black trans-led, non-profit organizations, especially those in the arts, must be recipients of charitable donations made by the network.
Together these actions would begin a badly-needed, new chapter for BET; one that creates new possibilities for all Black people by centering the humanity of those of us most at risk.
We hope that you will see this letter as an invitation into a larger dialogue with us. Together we look forward to beginning this wider conversation about change.
We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Joshua Allen, Sasha, Alexander, Dr. Van Bailey, Sydney Baloue, Mickaela Bee, Blossom C. Brown, Draven Caverly, Mojo Disco, Micah Domingo, Ceyenne Doroshow, Dane Figueroa Edidi, Ianne Fields Stewart, Carla Gaskins-Nathan, Hope Giselle, Elle Hearns, Emanuel Hilander, Council Member Andrea Jenkins, Bryanna Jenkins, Imara Jones, Jamilah King, Kelly Lewis, Marizol Leyva, L’leerét Lilith, Devin Lowe, Patricio Manuel, Kimberly McKenzie, Honey Mahogany, Dominique Morgan, Devin Norelle, D’hana Perry, Gwen Rogers, Aria S’aid, Breanna Elyce Sinclairé ,Dr. Dora Santana, Nala Simone, Brian Michael Smith, B. Hawk Snipes, Dr. C. Riley Snorton, Reverend Valerie Spencer, Kiara St. James, Ash Stephens, Dréya St. Clair, Olympia Sudan, Tourmaline, Tre’Andre Valentine, Marquise Vilson, Lasaia Wade, Toni Michelle Williams, Asanni York, Lala B. Zannell, Dr. Kourtney Ziegler.
