CNN anchor Anderson Cooper faced an awkward moment during a live town hall event with Senator Bernie Sanders on Wednesday evening, after misgendering a civil rights attorney in the audience.
Cooper was introducing audience members set to ask questions during the broadcast when he referred to Grace Thomas, a prominent local civil rights attorney, using female pronouns.
“I want to introduce Grace Thomas. She’s a local civil rights attorney. She’s a Democrat,” Cooper said.
Before the question could proceed, Thomas immediately spoke up to correct him:
“It’s they/them pronouns, actually. Thank you.”
The exchange sparked mixed reactions online, with some praising Thomas for calmly asserting their identity, while others criticized Cooper for what they viewed as a careless mistake on a national platform.
Critics on social media were quick to call the moment “cringeworthy,” with one commenter labeling Cooper a “bigot,” although others defended the anchor, noting that he promptly moved forward with the event without confrontation.
Cooper has not issued a formal apology, and CNN has not commented on the incident as of this writing.
The town hall, hosted in Atlanta, focused on civil rights, economic justice, and LGBTQ+ issues. Senator Sanders did not comment on the exchange during the event, though he has long advocated for inclusive policies and gender rights protections.
This moment adds to the ongoing public conversation about proper pronoun usage and the importance of respecting gender identities in both personal and professional settings.
