Inside Edition has hired America’s first transgender reporter as a special correspondent for February. Zoey Tur, formerly known as “Chopper Bob,” has completed her gender transition after undergoing gender reassignment surgery to transition from male to female.
According to the Daily Mail , 54-year-old Zoey Tur from Santa Monica is no newbie to the news scene. In fact, prior to her transition, Tur was a successful TV news helicopter pilot. She is responsible for helping capture video footage of the 1992 L.A. riots, and the 1994 O.J. Simpson car chase when she was working as “Chopper Bob.” Tur’s daughter is also a foreign correspondent for NBC News in London.
The Wrap notes that Inside Edition is “thrilled” to be able to make “TV history” with Zoey.
“We are thrilled to have Zoey join ‘Inside Edition’ as Special Correspondent and make some TV history.”
Zoey is slated to discuss her transition on Tuesday’s show and will also pilot her first helicopter since the gender reassignment surgery. Following the surgery, Zoey says that “Bob must die” so that Zoey can take center stage. She notes that her friends and family have been very supportive of her transition; however, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been some grieving over the loss of Bob.
“For the most part, people didn’t know. They were in a state of shock initially. My kids were in a state of shock. And they have been going through this mourning process. Bob Tur has got to die. And that’s going to happen within the next three or four months.”
Tur is hoping that, by finally coming out of hiding, she can shed some light on the often misunderstood transgender people .
“Transgender people really are misunderstood. It’s not what you think. It’s a genetic disorder that happens in utero. Nobody knows exactly why, but you’re born with a female or feminized brain. If you don’t really know who you are. You think you’re a woman, but you’re a man.”
Tur is thankful that Inside Edition is allowing her the opportunity to share her story and willing to provide diversity within media.
“There’s diversity in nature, so why not the media? I want to thank ‘Inside Edition’ for their support in what’s shaping up to be America’s last civil rights fight.”
How do you think Zoey Tur’s transition from male to female will affect her career? Do you think media outlets will embrace a transgender reporter?
