Newsmax segment condemns Fox News' “woke” bathroom policy

Guest Rick Leventhal: “I kind of think Roger Ailes is rolling over in his grave right now”

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

From the May 22, 2023, edition of Newsmax's Rob Schmitt Tonight 

ROB SCHMITT (HOST): According to the Daily Signal, Fox News employees are allowed to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity inside the building, rather than their biological sex. And they must be addressed by their preferred name and pronouns in the workplace. All these policies reportedly outlined in the company's employee handbook, according to the Daily Signal. The handbook promises that Fox is dedicated to expanding and strengthening reports – or, I'm sorry, efforts to sustain a more inclusive work environment.

It also states that employees who are transitioning their gender have the right to be open about their transition and work in an environment free of harassment, discrimination, and without fear of transphobia. It doesn't even stop there. The handbook allegedly defines many LGBTQ terms like cisgender, gender fluid, and non-binary. They're citing the Human Rights Campaign as well, one of the most prominent LGBTQ organizations in the country as a source.

And, as you can see on the screen, Fox is proud to be aligned with the Human Rights Campaign, receiving a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's corporate equality index, a report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. You're starting to, kind of, get a feeling here about maybe why Tucker was fired and how it's changing over at Fox, the brand we've known for so long.

Veteran journalist and former longtime Fox News correspondent Rick Leventhal is back with us tonight. Good to have you back on, sir. What's your take on this one?

RICK LEVENTHAL (HOST): I kind of think Roger Ailes is rolling over in his grave right now, Rob. This is not the Fox that you and I knew very well. I understand that they might feel the need to comply with New York City human rights law, which calls for similar open bathroom policies for people who say they identify as a different sex. But, personally, I would have an issue if there are women in a restroom and a biological male who says he identifies as a woman goes in and to use that restroom. And what I think is that the most shocking about this is that if the women in the restroom don't like it, if they're uncomfortable, they're the ones who have to go and use a singles use restroom, not the guy who wants to use the women's restroom. So, the women are the ones who are being kicked out, not the transgender person.

SCHMITT: Right. And what this all really boils down to – this is just one example of this big, you know, woke machine that has all of these massive companies, which Fox is, a massive company that's publicly traded and it's got – you know, I mean, everybody's mortified of what these different organizations with their agendas like the Human Rights Campaign and like that, you know the ad in the DEI. What's that? – the advertising one that they always comes after us as well. I mean, it's like people – yeah this information index – people are mortified, companies are mortified of this agenda, and they're doing everything they can to bend the need of them as fast as they can. 

LEVENTHAL: Well, I don't really understand it. It almost feels like bullying at this point that the people who say they need to be protected are now forcing their beliefs on the people around them. And I've – listen, I fully support anyone who wants to change their gender once they've reached a mature enough age to make those kinds of decisions. If you want to change your gender, that's fine. But if people are uncomfortable with someone who's still a biological male being in a ladies room, I feel like – I think the law's backwards. I think that those people who decide they want to change their sex should use the single-serve bathroom unless and until they actually do become a woman in all – I don't even know how you describe that. But you know what I'm saying?

SCHMITT: We only how complicated -- whatever you've got, you know, under your belt probably should align with what bathroom you're in, I guess is probably what it should be. So, I don't know -- 

LEVENTHAL: Thank you, thank you. That should be the determining factor on which bathroom you use.

SCHMITT: Yeah.

LEVENTHAL: Plain and simple.