Zoey Tur is making history as the first openly transgender news reporter
Inside Edition has hired a transgender reporter, and it’s a major milestone for the transgender community and for the human race. Zoey Tur has joined Inside Edition as a special correspondent for the month of February, making her the nation’s first transgender television reporter! YES, YES, YES!
Tur made a name for herself as Chopper Bob when she covered the 1994 O.J. Simpson police pursuit and the 1992 Los Angeles riots, except at that time, she was living as a man. Since then, she is often credited as a pioneer in helicopter reporting. Her first appearance on Inside Edition will air today, where she will discuss her transformation, which will hopefully reach people who need a better understanding of transgender issues, because the lack of understanding is a cause of fear, judgement and disapproval. And that’s exactly why this is so monumental.
Tomorrow Tur will make her second appearance on Inside Edition — this time as Chopper Zoey — to test her pilot skills as she flies her first helicopter since the surgery.
The acceptance and inclusivity of transgender men and women has grown tremendously over the last decade, but there hasn’t really been a transgender on a television show as mainstream as Inside Edition until now.
Inside Edition’s executive producer Charles Lachman said in a statement, “We are thrilled to have Zoey join Inside Edition as Special Correspondent and make some TV history.”
Here at HG, we are thrilled about it too, and excited to witness more and more widespread acceptance of the transgender community.
Tur is a reporter who was hired based on her talent. Her gender is irrelevant to what she can bring as a reporter, but because transgender people still aren’t portrayed much in the media, it’s important to keep the conversation going about gender reassignment. The hope is that eventually transgender people will no longer have to tell their story — they can just be accepted without explanation, because ultimately, that’s what we all want.
In a statement Tur said, “There’s diversity in nature, so why not the media? I want to thank Inside Edition for their support in what’s shaping up to be America’s last civil rights fight.” A fight we all need to keep fighting.
