A heated debate has begun online after comedian Lil Duval joked he’d kill a transgender woman if he unknowingly had sex with her and many are calling for a #BreakfastClubBoycott as a result.
However, Duval isn’t apologizing according to his Monday, July 31, tweet.
"Lil duval they waiting on you to apologize"
Me: pic.twitter.com/sngO39icOV
— lil duval (@lilduval) July 31, 2017
The controversy erupted after “The Breakfast Club” co-host Angela Yee asked Duval what he thought about transgender people in the military, Friday, July 28. Duval ignored the question and instead mentioned he was visiting North Carolina over the weekend, referring to transgender people with a slur.
Then, DJ Envy asked Duval what he would do if he met and later had sex with a transgender woman who didn’t reveal her gender until after they did the deed.
“This might sound messed up and I don’t care,” Duval says. “She dyin’. I can’t deal with that. You manipulated me to believe in this thing. My mind … I can’t … I’m gay now. I’m gay!”
Co-hosts Charlamagne Tha God and Yee disagreed with Duval’s joke and Charlemagne pointed out killing a transgender woman would be a hate crime.
Things became tense during Charlamagne’s appearance at Politicon Sunday, July 30, when two women slammed the radio show for having Duval on-air.
“We are not a joke!” one trans woman shouts at Charlamagne.
“Trans people are not a joke! Trans people are not a joke!” a woman shouts.
#Transgender community @Politicon telling @cthagod "We Are Not A Joke" over comments made @breakfastclubam #Politicon2017 #ResistHate @eqca pic.twitter.com/PgcDNchiQp
— 🌟 🎬 📽 (@HollywoodBlvd1) July 30, 2017
Duval’s remark led many to call for a boycott of the 7-year-old radio show.
One pointed out the major issue of trans women being murdered. The Human Rights Campaign reported at least 15 trans people have been murdered this year. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, of the 16 trans women murdered in 2016, 13 were nonwhite trans women.
1. Black trans women have a life expectancy of 35 years old. They are being murdered and cishets are too complicit #BreakfastClubBoycott
— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) July 30, 2017
Others continued to lend their support to the effort.
#BreakfastClubBoycott should absolutely include letting all their sponsors and affiliates know that transphobia is not comedy, it's deadly.
— Nani 🇬🇭 (@lenubienne) July 30, 2017
Good morning – #BreakfastClubBoycott it's way past due. The time to decide where you stand is now.
— Leslie Mac (@LeslieMac) July 30, 2017
Some agreed with Duval’s reasoning.
The #BreakfastClubBoycott is so stupid and ridiculous. If I don't want to sleep with a man pretending to be a women I shouldn't be insulted
— # (@OverCurved) July 30, 2017
I don't agree with people not disclosing their gender to someone when meeting but stating to kill someone not cool. #BreakfastClubBoycott
— Que talton (@QueTalton) July 31, 2017
https://twitter.com/DahlilaBlank/status/891721176749395970
There also has been chatter about the fact that Duval should have a license to joke about the issue as a comedian. A similar conversation emerged when “Girls Trip” star Tiffany Haddish joked she would “drink the juice” to work with Bill Cosby.
@lilduval is a comedian. The brother is hilarious as hell. Boycott my foot. A BLACK MAN IS FOREVER NITPICKED, BULL💩 #BreakfastClubBoycott
— Mr. Brown (@Mr_Brown_Sir) July 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/GuznamKevin/status/891746358595551238