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Fox News host Bill O’Reilly mocks trans prisoner’s appearance and calls her ‘he’

Jan 12 2013
Written by James Park

Fox News hosts Bill O’Reilly and Megyn Kelly have mocked the physical appearance of a transgender prisoner, repeatedly calling her ‘he’ and joked that she isn’t attractive enough to be in danger of being physically assaulted in prison.

Last year, a judge ruled that $700,000 in legal fees must be paid to the legal team of a convicted murderer, Michele Kosilek, who wishes to undergo gender reassignment – but she has said that she wont claim the money if the state allows her operation to go ahead.

After Kelly described her story and said that the inmate “decided he wanted to be a she” after killing their ex-wife, the pair went on to criticise the cost to the state of performing Kosilek’s surgery. Then O’Reilly began to mock her appearance, repeatedly referring to the prisoner as a male and not a female. Here is what was said in the final part of the discussion:-

O’Reilly: My question is, in the promo, couldn’t they do a better job for a million bucks than this guy? Look, there he is. For a million you figure he might look like Annette Funicello or somebody. I don’t know.”

Kelly: Listen, let’s not forget.

O’Reilly: Yeah.

Kelly: He’s in a male prison.

O’Reilly: Alright, but I don’t think he’s in any danger-

Kelly: I bet he looks pretty good.

O’Reilly: No. Even in a male prison, he doesn’t. But for a million bucks, that’s Kelly we get? I don’t know. Alright.

Kelly: The surgery hasn’t been performed yet, Bill.

O’Reilly: It hasn’t.

Kelly: He only has breasts and the hair now.

O’Reilly: I think that might be a little bit too much information.

Last September a court ruled that Ms Kosilek would be given gender reassignment surgery in prison, as the “only adequate treatment” of her gender dysphoria. Judge Mark Wolf also ruled that her legal costs should be covered.

He said: “There is no less intrusive means to correct the prolonged violation of Kosilek’s Eighth Amendment right to adequate medical care.”

Her attorneys had previously offered to waive their fees, excluding out-of-pocket expenses, on the condition that the Department of Correction did not appeal against Judge Wolf’s ruling.