A few hours after GLAAD, Equality Ohio and many in the LGBT community called for news anchor Tricia Macke to apologize for calling MSNBC host Rachel Maddow an “angry young man” on her Facebook page (and then defending those remarks), the station issued an apology on their Facebook page as reported by Gay South Florida's Steve Rothaus:
To all FOX19 viewers and Facebook fans,
We have received several expressions of concerns about a recent Facebook posting by FOX19 Anchor Tricia Macke on her personal Facebook page. Tricia’s response is provided below and is also posted on her personal Facebook page. We also apologize to anyone who may have been offended by her comments.
WXIX Station Management
I recently posted comments on my personal Facebook page regarding cable news anchor Rachel Maddow which were insensitive and inappropriate. I apologize to Ms. Maddow and any others who may have been offended by my comments, as they do not reflect my firm beliefs in individual and equal rights, and they certainly do not represent the opinions or position of my employer WXIX-TV.
Tricia Macke
"When those in the public eye use their platforms to spread anti-gay attitudes, it can give license for their fans and followers to follow suit," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. "Macke should use this moment and her role as a journalist to shed light on the impact that such anti-gay remarks and bullying have on LGBT young people in Cincinnati and across Ohio."
Earlier today GLAAD and Equality Ohio called on Fox 19 (Cincinnati, OH) to condemn comments made last month by news anchor Tricia Macke, who called MSNBC host Rachel Maddow an "Angry Young Man" on her Facebook page. According to incident reports received by Equality Ohio, after a viewer expressed offense to the comment, Mackie stood by her characterization of Maddow as male, responding, "You are right. I'm sorry, I should've said ‘antagonistic.’"
When another person responded that, in the news business, sexual orientation is irrelevant, Macke responded, "I knew what I was saying." The exchange appears to have been deleted from Mackie's Facebook page, but screenshots are below.
Referring to Maddow as a "man" because she is a gay woman is completely unacceptable for someone in the business of journalism.
Cincinnati viewers rely on Macke and Fox 19 to deliver unbiased and fair reporting about the lives of LGBT people in their community. But this is someone who attempted to insult a gay woman by questioning her gender, then stated very clearly that she did so with complete awareness of her actions.
Earlier today GLAAD President Herndon Graddick said, "Macke owes an apology not only to viewers, but to young people in Ohio who are subjected to unfair bullying and harassment like this on a daily basis."