BET Under Fire for Ordering Transgender Host to Change Looks (@lovebscott)

During last year’s pre-show for the BET Awards, transgender host B. Scott was allegedly ordered to change his outfit, because network executives didn’t want him looking feminine in front of the cameras.  He began the pre-show filming wearing a loose blue tunic, along with black pants and long straight hair with makeup on his face and high heels to top it off.  BET was fully aware that he is a transgendered individual, but apparently didn’t want him giving off the appearance of a woman and made him change his outfit, but even after he did they didn’t let him back on-air.  TMZ has now obtained email and text message evidence to back up B. Scott’s claims.

According to TMZ, BET Music Programmer Prez Sephen Hill, stated in an email before the show began, “I don’t want ‘looking like a woman B Scott.’ I want tempered B Scott,” to which Network Vice President Rhonda Cowan responded, “I can speak to him about being less ‘womanly.'”

After being shunned from returning to his position as an on-camera host, Stephen apparently became upset and threatened to expose BET for making him change his appearance in light of his gender orientation.  According to BET producer Stephanie Hodges, “He got upset and said he was going to blow this s**t up and call GLAAD,” she wrote in an email.  Another email from BET’s Monique Ware went further to detail a way to cover up the potential bad press when she stated:

“The spin should be he was late for a live show and subsequently replaced and it would have been awkward in a live show to have the person assuming his role removed and him inserted.  Unless we can make public the reason we didn’t want him dressed the way he normally does, I would stay away from suits, suit selections, etc.”

B. Scott is currently suing BET over the entire issue.

Source: tmz.com