Michael Che Is Accused Of Transphobia On ‘SNL’ Again
Many LGBTQ advocates did not find a joke that Michael Che told on “Saturday Night Live” this past weekend very funny.
The “SNL” co-head writer is being accused of transphobia because of a quip he offered about transgender bodies on the show’s “Weekend Update” segment. Che addressed President Joe Biden’s executive order last week that repealed former President Donald Trump’s transgender military ban.
“President Biden signed an executive order repealing Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military,” Che said during the segment. “It’s good news, except Biden is calling the policy: ‘don’t ask, don’t tuck,’ which is not good news.”
Many advocates and members of the LGBTQ community expressed their concern over the joke on Twitter, and characterized Che as anti-trans.
This isn’t funny and so many people had to let this joke get to air y’all are dumb pic.twitter.com/CyYQZXEeJX
— Rose Dommu (@rosedommu) January 31, 2021
What is Saturday Night Live's weird obsession with transphobic nonsense? I honestly don't get it. It's so lazy and sad. Last night, Michael Che joked about the repeal of the trans ban being called "don't ask, don't tuck" -- who is this "joke" for? https://t.co/Uu2JpXlrU1
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳??🌈 (@cmclymer) January 31, 2021
just saw the snl tucking joke + i'm so tired of cis people
i'm so tired of our bodies literally being a joke to them
i also hate that enough cis ppl have learned abt tucking that it can be an snl joke
our genitals aren't your fucking business or punchline
fuck you michael che— aromaetase 🌺 (@earthagae) January 31, 2021
Honestly @nbcsnl we've been mocked enough for 1 eternity. Do better.
I'm tired of our genitalia & our existence being discussed, obsessed about & laughed at. #transisbeautiful https://t.co/PhJ5G9sLmX— Plastic Martyr (@plasticmartyr) January 31, 2021
While I agree that there are many aspects of human physicality that are humorous, context changes everything. Since we trans folk are still not seen as/treated as/respected as human (along with many other people in our damaged society), joking about our physicality=too f'ing soon
— Eli Dueker 🏳??🌈🔬 🦠?? (@ed71_h2o) January 31, 2021
Punching down: first sign of bad comedy. That was weak.
Yes, for the record, we can take a joke. But yours wasn’t funny, doesn’t reflect reality and reinforces ignorance about trans lives.
Shame on you, @nbcsnl @NBCUniversal @comcast #michaelche @ColinJost— Dawn Ennis (@lifeafterdawn) January 31, 2021
https://t.co/s32q0FxN2z it’s not a joke when that sort of behavior gives people permission to be awful to trans people. If you a cis straight white male, you don’t get to say what’s offensive because damaging jokes are never made at your expense.
— RealityAlix (@RealityAlix) January 31, 2021
Trump’s controversial executive order, which he issued in 2017, declared that transgender people could only enlist in the military under the gender they were assigned at birth. Initially blocked by courts, it went into effect in 2019, resulting not only in trans people being banned from joining the military but forcing those already in the various service branches to hide their identities.
Biden’s repeal of the ban was a momentous occasion for many. Trans plaintiffs involved in multiple lawsuits against the Trump administration over its ban told HuffPost that Biden overturning the policy left them feeling “incredibly light” and “thrilled and relieved.”
“It is certainly a relief knowing that the very highest levels of my leadership are no longer out to get me,” Brock Stone, an 11-year Navy veteran and transgender man, said in an email to HuffPost.
Some Twitter users pointed out that Che’s joke put a damper on the joy sparked by Biden’s move.
I really hope @nbcsnl, Michael Che, and Colin Jost do better. Targeting Trans folks, especially after a great week of news, isn’t okay. The cis het bro energy has me on guard every episode. I miss the power femme energy of Tina & Amy who told jokes w/o resorting to tired tropes.
— ben 🤓 (they/them) (@thebenmichaels) January 31, 2021
Didn't watch SNL tonight but wasn't surprised at all to learn that Michael Che used the lifting of the transgender military ban to be his usual transphobic self. His transphobia is not funny and he needs to ask himself why he wants to be in the same category as JKR. #SNL
— Danielle Solzman @ #Sundance2021 (@DanielleSATM) January 31, 2021
Michael Che taking the opportunity of the end of the ban on trans soldiers to be transphobic is the least surprising thing about SNL tonight, and they did a monologue about The Office.
— Derek Martz (@derek_martz) January 31, 2021
This is not the first time that Che has been accused of being transphobic on “SNL.”
It’s not Michael Che’s first anti-trans joke. When will he and the SNL writers stop picking on a vulnerable group who already face so many hate crimes? https://t.co/0tvg1fwNdM
— Everett M (@EverettMaroon) February 1, 2021
In 2019, Che misgendered Caitlyn Jenner. In this particular joke, Che called Jenner, who came out as transgender in 2015 and identifies as female, a “fella.”
Colin Jost, Che’s “Weekend Update” co-anchor and co-head writer of “SNL,” was accused of cracking a trans-insensitive joke in 2016 — when Tinder gave its trans and gender-nonconforming members the option to choose from a variety of gender alternatives on its dating app.
“The dating app Tinder announced a new feature this week which gives users 37 different gender identity options,” Jost said on “Weekend Update.”
“It’s called ’Why Democrats lost the election.”
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.