A Massachusetts newspaper is catching heat for mocking transgender celebrity Chaz Bono and a new state law prohibiting discrimination against gender identity.
In its Dec. 19 edition, “The Lowell Sun ran the following lyrics, meant to be sung to the tune of ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer’ as part of an article titled ‘Christmas carols — with a twist,’ written by columnist and copy editor Dan Phelps:”
Chaz Bono got turned into a man, dear.
Dancin’ with a woman on TV.
You might say there’s no such thing as Santa
Till you see what Chaz got ‘neath his tree. […]Now transgenders in the Bay State
Have a law that’s etched in black.
It says they can change their gender.
Then if they want, they can change it back.
Interestingly, the last line echoes the actual comments of Massachusetts Rep. Sheila Harrington (R), who asked two transgender witnesses if transgender people are able to change their genders on a “day-to-day basis” when the Judiciary Committee considered the legislation in June.
The Human Rights Campaign has condemned the lyrics, saying, “It is unacceptable for transgender Americans, and the very real challenges they face, to become comedic punch lines –- and we have an obligation to speak out against such dangerous stereotypes.”
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