“Survivor” Contestant Outed As Transgender By Another Competitor; Episode Sparks Outrage

The Wednesday night’s episode of the long-running reality competition “Survivor” became notorious when one of the show’s contestant outed a fellow contestant for being transgender.

FOX News said Jeff Varner chose to call out rival Zeke Smith in an attempt to prevent himself from getting voted out of the Tribal Council. Varner turned to Smith, who was just beside him, and said, “There is deception here. Why haven’t you told anyone you are transgender?”

Addressing host, Jeff Probst, Varner, who is gay, told the group off that someone is deceiving everyone “on levels” they “don’t understand.” Smith, following the revelation, was stunned by Varner’s comments, and was noticeably silent, the New York Times said. Following the revelation, several members of the group cried foul, with some saying Varner’s comments were irrelevant to the game and inappropriate. Varner, who is already unpopular with the group, essentially eliminated himself out of the game with his comments.

PEOPLE.com said that despite the controversy surrounding the Wednesday night episode, CBS has worked with GLAAD, a LGBT founded media organization, for months before the broadcast. GLAAD has since confirmed that they have worked with the broadcaster to make sure Smith “would have the opportunity to speak for himself about his experience.”

Smith has since shared his thoughts about the revelation, and told The Hollywood Reporter, “I looked to Varner, now the one hunched and quivering, and contemplated the backlash he would face. When he said what he said, he changed both of our lives forever. When he pulled me in for a hug, I felt compelled to reciprocate, both as a sign that I was willing to forgive him and that the shows he had fired missed.

Varner has since expressed on Twitter about the revelation, and called it a mistake.