During an appearance on “The Arsenio Hall Show,” actress Gabourey Sidibe repeatedly used a transphobic slur.

The “American Horror Story: Coven” star said the word “tranny” when discussing life in New Orleans on the show which aired on Jan. 23. 

From Huffington Post:

Gabourey Sidibe: There was a bar that we would frequent and every time we’d go, when we were leaving every single time there was always like a gang of cops arresting trannies.

Audience: [Laughter]

Sidibe: Specifically trannies.

Arsenio Hall: Yeah…

Sidibe: And I don’t know what goes on with trannies but that tranny on tranny crime needs to stop!

Arsenio Hall and audience: [Laughter]

Sidibe [chuckling]: It is tearing our nation apart!

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And Jean-Marie Navetta, Director of Equality & Diversity Partnerships at PFLAG National, sent a long statement to The Huffington Post, writing in part:

I don’t know [Sidibe]. I will always give people the benefit of the doubt and assume that they weren’t thinking and just need some education. We all deserve that chance. We all need the right to redeem ourselves. And I believe this for her, in spite of the fact that it felt very mean-spirited and horrible to me, especially since she has been the point of much ridicule for her differences. It has often been those who are also different — like trans people — who have defended her. I hope this is a learning experience.

Read more at Huffington Post

Sidibe later apologized for her use of the term, stating that she wasn’t aware that it was offensive.

The conversation between Sidibe and Hall is a strong reminder that many people aren’t educated when it comes to the transgender community.

How can we better educate members of society about the trans community?

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