The SiriusXM OutQ News Blog

“Brilliant on every level” is how Madonna described last week’s episode of the Fox comedy ‘Glee’, which featured some of the artist’s biggest hits. But some are saying the show’s use of a trans-phobic term crossed the line.Coach Sylvester, played by openly lesbian actress Jane Lynch, is the show’s antagonist… and used the term “shemale” while cutting the pony tail off a male student whose physical appearance she thought too androgynous.

Lynch: “There. You no longer confuse me with your shemale looks”.

Gregory Varnum is the Executive Director of The National Youth Advocacy Coalition. He told Out Q News that while “Glee has done a lot of amazing things” by showing youth it is OK to be different, television doesn’t need another “evil teacher who’s homophobic and racist”. He says he disagrees not with Glee’s use of the term “shemale” … but the lack of consequences for Coach Sylvester after she harrassed a student.

Varnum: “If that teacher did something like that in a school system today, and there was no repercussions for it, I believe that should be portrayed. That’s a serious problem that they should be running with. Or, if they want to portray this as a safer school or a safer zone, they should be showing the consequences for that teacher and what happens after they bully a student.”

Last weekend, ‘Glee’ received the award for ‘Outstanding Comedy Series” from gay media watchdog GLAAD.