'Survivor' sparks outrage after contestant outed as transgender on show
From l-r: Jeff Varner, Sarah Lacina, Zeke Smith and Debbie Wanner at Tribal Council on CBS' "Survivor."
(CBS)
When the contestants of CBS’ hit reality series gathered around the fire at Tribal Council, Varner, in a final attempt to prevent himself from being voted off the show, turned to rival Smith, who was standing by his side, and declared, “There is deception here. Why haven’t you told anyone you are transgender?”
The 29-year-old, who made his debut on season 33 last fall and returned for the all-star season 34 in March, was visibly shaken by the revelation. The other contestants erupted in outrage, calling Varner’s comment inappropriate and irrelevant to the game. Varner was ultimately eliminated.
"Suvivor" host Jeff Probst told Entertainment Weekly he was impressed by how Smith tackled the outing on national television.
“...I was still blown away by how he handled the entire situation,” said Probst. “It was as if he had been preparing for this absolutely unpredictable, completely public, and incredibly vulnerable moment for his entire life. His composure was astounding…”
Smith has since spoken up about the outing to The Hollywood Reporter.
“A person’s gender history is private information and it is up to them, and only them, when, how, and to whom they choose to disclose that information,” said Smith. “Keeping your gender history private is not the same as a gay person being ‘in the closet.’ The only people who need to know are medical professionals and naked fun time friends.”
He also added that he chose to forgive Varner for the move.
“I looked to Varner, now the one hunched and quivering, and contemplated the backlash he would face,” recalled Smith. “When he said what he said, he changed both of our lives forever. When he pulled me in for a hug, I felt compelled to reciprocate, both as a sign that I was willing to forgive him and that the shows he had fired missed.”
Varner called outing Smith a mistake in a long message posted on Twitter.
"Let me be clear, outing someone is assault," he tweeted. "It robs a strong, courageous person of their power and protection and opens them up to discrimination and danger. It can leave scars that haunt for a lifetime."
CBS did not immediately return Fox News' request for comment.