Inside a Twitter War: Kelly Osbourne Vs. Transphobia Allegation

Straight ally Kelly Osbourne has tweeted an apology after angering transgender activists and much of the LGBT community by using the word "tranny" and an even more derogatory term while discussing her breakup with ex-boyfriend Luke Worrall over trans model Elle Schneider.

During an interview that will appear in an upcoming issue of Glamour U.K., Osbourne recalled the pain of the breakup. "Having to tell them [my parents] my fiance had cheated on me with a tranny who sold his/her story to the press," Osbourne says. "It was so humiliating. Everyone kept telling me that Luke was cheating on me, but I never believed them. It's hard enough to get your head around someone cheating on you, but when that someone is a chick with a dick. Up until then, I'd always thought that the worst way to get cheated on would be with an ugly girl. Don't you think?"

Marti Abernathey, a blog editor and contributing writer at The Transadvocate, called Osbourne's comment "objectifying and dehumanizing." She went on to note, "Kelly, did you ever stop to think that maybe he cheated on you because of your bigoted and intolerant attitudes? Just a thought. Hate is a pretty ugly thing to be around."

Osbourne, who participated in Proposition 8 protests and is considered a longtime friend and supporter of the LGBT community, took to her Twitter account to defend herself.

Read the heated Twitter exchange between Osbourne and Abernathy on the next pages.

MissKellyO: don't u dare accuse me of being against anything 2 do w/ the LGBT community i have never given anything but 100% of my support

transadvocate: right, calling trans women "chicks with dicks" is so supportive! And tranny! Just ask @GLAAD!

transadvocate: sorry, that's not supportive. That's called dehumanization.

transadvocate: wld U call a black woman that cheated w/ yr BF a nigger? wld that B supportive of the African-American community?

transadvocate: R U denying U used "chick w/ a dick" or tranny? Do U know how awful ths words R & how they dehumanize us to the point of death?

transadvocate: I will "accuse" you with your own words. You aren't an ally simply by stating you are.

MissKellyO: you should learn to fight the real fight not with people like me who love a fully support you!

transadvocate: and you should learn to apologize when you say dehumanizing things that kill people. Your hateful words have wings.

transadvocate: People die because people talk like you did of us. You should learn what being an ally is. Seriously.

MissKellyO: I APOLOGIZED words can be misinterpreted please stop this it brakes my heart to think i have ever offended any1 that is lgbt

transadvocate: you've apologized publicly? Your words have a wide audience. They have power. You have power. They hurt more than just Elle

transadvocate: how do u misrepresent "w/ chicks with dicks" or tranny? Seriously. Please explain. I'm not trolling, I seriously want to know.

transadvocate: think abt ths. Angie Zapata's killer referred 2 her as a thing & was shocked when he was convicted. Words have impact.

MissKellyO: i really am sorry i am so close to the lbgt community in every aspect of my life that i forget i am not a member myself!

MissKellyO: i again can only apologize my intention was never ever to hurt anyone i again thank for educating me!

transadvocate: Thank you for apologizing.

MissKellyO: thank you for educating me!

---

The conversation picks up later in response to another person on Twitter.

MissKellyO: @RiotDollie i cant lie @transadvocate did really hurt my feeling by comparing me to a murderer but he also educated me

transadvocate: I wasn't comparing you to that. I'm saying that his words about Angie are caused by the dehumanization of trans people.

transadvocate: it's why words are so powerful. They have the ability to effect people's motivations and actions.

transadvocate: he? lolz. That's Ms. Transadvocate to you...

MissKellyO: hahahah!!!! Holy shit i cant do right for doing wrong im so sorry Ms. Transadvocate i want to crawl in a hole & die right now

transadvocate: you did something right today... you apologized twice. :) That takes a lot to do. I really appreciate it.

MissKellyO: all i ask is to please change your article you are painting me out to be a hater of LGBT'S & its killing me!

transadvocate: if you'd like to do guest post, I'd be all for that. This is an opportunity for YOU to educate others.

MissKellyO: of course but you should know that what you posted was not verbatim of what i said it was really taken out of context!

MissKellyO: so how do i go about doing that!

transadvocate: then explain it! U get 2 speak out abt it, & trans ppl R seen as ppl & not things. Besides hatred, who's the loser hre?

transadvocate: my email address is marti.abernathey@gmail.com If you write something in response, I'll put it up.

MissKellyO: done!

---

The conversation picks up again later.

MissKellyO: omg i just read the last bit you wrote you called me a bigot you know im not a bigot you really have to take that down!

transadvocate: "I only came home 4 Xmas 2 C him meanwhile he has bn f*****g hundreds of girls as well as men behind my back." isn't bigoted?

transadvocate: Elle isn't a man, she's a trans woman.

transadvocate: what you said WAS bigoted. You apologized.

MissKellyO: no darling thats the truth and that was way before i ever found out about the transgender! you are mixing stories!

transadvocate: gotcha. another reason for you to speak to this yourself, in your voice.

MissKellyO: ur article today has broken my heart you took something i said out of context i apologized profusely yet you still wont stop

MissKellyO: i have been called every name under the sun but i dont think anything has hurt me more then you calling me a bigot!

transadvocate: I wrote a story once about my grandfather. He was a bigot. He taught me that people are complex.

transadvocate: I dnt call U a bigot, I called U on yr bigoted words. thr's a difference. I cn care abt sum1 while hating their words.

transadvocate: I don't know you personally. I can't know whether you're a bigot. I can judge you on the words you were quoted as saying.

MissKellyO: i hate your words but i dont hate you! in fact its the opposite! if i have to take the fall so people learn a lesson so be it

transadvocate: You don't have to take any fall. You have the opportunity to educate others about trans people.

transadvocate: that's essentially wht I'm saying 2 U. I dont mean 2 harm U. But regardless of how U said it, yr words R harming trans people.

MissKellyO: so what u are basically telling me is you know it was out of context you wrote it anyway to make a statement well that sucks!

transadvocate: no, i don't know that. In what context is "chicks with dicks" ok?

transadvocate: I can't possibly know your intent or the context without you explaining it.

transadvocate: "chicks with dicks" is a porn term that is used to dehumanize trans women.

transadvocate: thr's nevr a context whr that's ok 2 refer 2 sum1 as a chick w/ a dick. esp from a cis-gender person lk yourself.

MissKellyO: all u r doing is spreading more hate this needs to stop! i apologized you accepted now please move on and stop this ugliness

transadvocate: LOL, I did stop after you apologized. Then you came back and attacked me for calling your words bigotry.

transadvocate: How exactly am I spreading hate? I don't hate you, I hate what you said and what you so far have refused to give context to.

MissKellyO: you dont deserve to know my personal business that subject run to deep sorry!