Karl Stefanovic has been named a finalist for an LGBTI media award for his “ground-breaking and earnest apology to the transgender community” following the offensive jokes about trans people he made on The Today Show.
Stefanovic was widely criticised for his comments, which included using the term “tranny” to describe the people who attempted to rob Today Show reporter Christine Ahern.
The Today host also made a ‘wanted’ poster for the would-be thieves: an image of Hugo Weaving’s character in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.
The apology he made the next day was considered by many, admirable.
But should he win an award for it?
Twitter users don’t seem to think so.
Karl is a finalist within the ‘Media Award’ category of the 2016 Honour Awards – which recognises outstanding achievements within or contributions to NSW’s LGBTI community.
He is up against five other journalists including Daily Telegraph writer Shannon Molloy, who is nominated for his “personal opinion piece on his own experience with bullying and why programs like Safe Schools are necessary”.
Australian Story reporter Janine Cohen was nominated for for telling the story of sixteen-year-old Georgie Stone’s transition, as well as fellow ABC journalist Monique Schafter, for her body of work on the 7:30 Report.
SBS journalists Mark Whittaker and Patrick Abboud are also finalists, with Whittaker nominated for his investigations into gay-hate crimes in Australia.
The finalist list on the awards’ website describes Karl as nominated “for his ground-breaking and earnest apology to the transgender community following unfortunate comments made on the Today Show, and also for a subsequent 60 Minutes piece on young transgender people”.
The winners of this and seven other categories will be presented with prizes at a gala ceremony in Sydney on 29 September.
Since his apology - during which he described himself as an "ignorant tool" - Karl appears committed to making amends.
In August he revisited the story of 12-year-old transgender girl, Emma Hayes, on 60 minutes - the segment he has also received his award nomination for.
Last week. when discussing the transition of a four-year-old girl, Karl commented that the matter wasn't for the public to debate.
“I do believe this sort of stuff needs to be kept private, and the families don’t need whatever is going on with their family and their four-year-old played out in the public profile like this,” he said.
Top Comments
Can't we say 'Tranny' now? Seriously!
But it's the fact that Stefanovic is always having to apologise because he really is an ignorant tool. Along with Eddie Macquire and Sam Newman, channel nine men, etc etc. They get to keep their jobs which is like channel nine saying 'we like them as they are.' All they're apologising for is the backlash caused to channel nine for getting caught, again and again. They're not genuinely sorry at all, those moments show us their true colours. It is an embarrassment to us as a nation that people like that front the media. They are backward dinosaurs who can teach us nothing and therefore, do not deserve their influence. Besides, it is the LGBTQ community who get to decide if this award is warranted. (Is channel nine sponsoring it by any chance?)