Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings responds to reports he’s transphobic
The TV presenter addressed the reports in a series of Bluesky posts over the weekend, stating his views had been distorted
By Callum Wells
Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings has hit back at reports suggesting he is transphobic.
The TV presenter addressed the claims in a series of Bluesky posts over the weekend, stating his views had been distorted after a sarcastic joke about The New York Times‘ games sparked online debate.
“I saw yesterday that some right-wing outlets were running stories about me, which I’m used to. But this time I’m going to say something about it, because these were framed to imply that I was aligned with their own transphobia.”
“For the record: NOPE” – Ken Jennings on reports suggesting he is transphobic
He left little room for doubt over where he stands, adding, “For the record: NOPE. Honestly, I don’t think there’s an issue today I care about on a personal level more deeply than trans rights. And it’s rough out there right now. Bigots on one side of the political aisle and too many cowards on the other.
“Our institutions are literally trying to erase trans people right now, and it p*sses me off. A snarky reply to one bad take on Bluesky doesn’t mean that’s changed at all.”
Where did the controversy begin?
The controversy began when Jennings posted about The New York Times’ daily Spelling Bee puzzle, joking that he and his wife compete to invent “the day’s grossest-sounding word”.
One Bluesky user replied: “I wish people who care about trans people could understand that playing NYT games is still an insult to trans people.”
Jennings responded with a tongue-in-cheek post: “This may be true of others but I actually got express permission from the trans community to keep NYT games and recipes. I also have a news subscription, which is arguably worse, so I had to specifically send in a written request. Took 30 days but I got approved.”
The exchange quickly spread beyond Bluesky, with several conservative outlets presenting Jennings’ remarks as a rejection of trans activists.
Why are there calls to boycott The New York Times?
Calls to boycott The New York Times have circulated among some LGBTQ+ activists for several years over concerns about the newspaper’s reporting on transgender issues. In 2023, hundreds of contributors and sources signed an open letter criticising its coverage, while advocacy organisation GLAAD accused the publication of promoting misleading narratives about trans people. Debate over the newspaper’s approach has continued since.
What has Jennings previously said about trans rights?
Jennings has previously criticised politicians over their positions on trans rights, including writing last year that any candidate “triangulating” on trans children was “a non-starter”.
He ended his latest posts by saying that inclusivity remains central to Jeopardy!.
“My TV job is apolitical, but I’m proud that one of the things we make is a space that’s trans- and [non-binary]-friendly, and that’s not going to change either.
“So that’s the thing to know, if you’re a tabloid that’s going to name-check me in another round of transphobic s*** about Bluesky discourse. I don’t stand with you. I stand with my trans friends and family members.”