Former Grey’s Anatomy star Sara Ramirez has taken issue with her former network, ABC, after an episode of The Real O’Neals that aired Jan. 17, Entertainment Weekly reports.
In the episode, Noah Galvin’s openly gay character, Kenny, compared being bisexual to having “webbed toes” or “money problems.”
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Ramirez, who identifies as bisexual and played a bisexual character on Grey’s, tweeted that she was “truly disheartened and disappointed” by the joke, and that she would “invest my brand where I’m respected.”
The actress, who starred on Grey’s for 10 years, tweeted a link to a Change.org petition asking the network to “end biphobia and bi-erasure” on the sitcom. “Words matter,” Ramirez wrote.
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She later asked the network to “own it, address it, clarify it, empower our #Queer #Bisexual youth & community w/accurate positive reflections.”
In addition, Ramirez retweeted a statement from LGBTQ advocacy group PFLAG, which partnered on the episode in which the joke was made. “We were so focused on the family acceptance portion of the episode that we completely missed the joke,” the statement said. “In hindsight, we should have caught it and we blew it. We should have done better and we will definitely do better next time. As allies we have a responsibility to own it when we mess up.”
Galvin also commented on the joke last month on Twitter, noting that the show “respects and loves the bi community” and writing, “I am sorry if we offended anyone. I hope you know our show fights for visibility and inclusivity and we will do better in the future. BUT, we also have to remember, it’s a comedy.”
ABC has not responded to Ramirez’s criticism.
And as someone who worked 4 them 4 10 years+,am truly disheartened & disappointed quite frankly.I will invest my brand where I’m respected. https://t.co/NQQAPDsFlU
— Sara Ramirez (@SaraRamirez) February 16, 2017
Dear @ABCNetwork @TheRealONeals :own it,address it,clarify it,empower our #Queer #Bisexual youth & community w/accurate positive reflections
— Sara Ramirez (@SaraRamirez) February 16, 2017
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This article first appeared on Womanista.com
