Karl Stefanovic Just Threw Around Anti-Trans Slurs Like It's No Big Deal

    "A murder of transvestite muggers."

    On Thursday morning,Today discussed an attempted robbery of Australian reporters in Rio de Janeiro – and found the gender identity of the people involved hilarious.

    Over a soundtrack of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive", host Karl Stefanovic referred to the people who attempted to rob journalist Christine Ahern and cameraman Glen as "a murder of transvestite muggers".

    Ahern said the pair had turned up on Copacabana beach when they came across "a group of transvestites", who attempted to rob them.

    "We came across a group of transvestites, one very strong – the only reason it is important is because they were very strong," Ahern said.

    "One came straight for us and tried to get my cameraman's camera but he was so scared about telling the boss that he had lost the camera within an hour of landing in Rio he held on to it."

    Stefanovic said Glen the cameraman had "fought off tougher trannies", and "they don't call him 'the bull' for nothing".

    .@ChristineAhern & cameraman survived a would-be robber in Rio! #9Today https://t.co/PVdZZdiN8g

    The host then pulled out a picture of Hugo Weaving's drag queen character from Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.

    "The other thing is Chris, I know that you have gone to see the police about this tranny. We have a [picture] made up and we know they don’t all look the same," he said. "Is that the tranny they are talking about it? Christine sent me that on email."

    The gender identity of Ahern's attackers is unknown. However, "tranny" is a slur most often used to insult and delegitimise transgender women.

    While not all transgender people reject the term "tranny", it is not a respectful term for people outside the community to use.

    Transvestite is an outdated term for men who dress as women for entertainment or pleasure. It is not the same thing as being a transgender woman.

    "Do not use the word 'transvestite' at all, unless someone specifically self-identifies that way," reads the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation media guide.

    The guide describes "tranny" as a word that "dehumanises transgender people", and should not be used in mainstream media.

    On Thursday afternoon Stefanovic apologised for the incident on Twitter, saying it was "complete ignorance".

    I'm very sorry Chloe. I'm happy to have a beer or cocktail with anyone I offended. It was complete ignorance. https://t.co/aPCsv0JLZi