A trans radio DJ in Virginia quit their job live on air earlier this month while blasting their employer for creating a “traumatic work experience.”
“Normally, this is where the one-second music quiz would be, but there will not be a quiz today because I’m quitting,” Fievel Crane told listeners of their show, The Morning Mixtape, on 106.1 FM The Corner.
Related
They thanked listeners for supporting their transition and name change over the past three years but said within the company, “that level of acceptance has been in very short supply.”
“It has been the most traumatic work experience I’ve ever had,” Crane added, “and that is saying something.”
Never Miss a Beat
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.
They lamented that they’ve “had to become less and less of my authentic self over these three years, as I’ve been repeatedly silenced and kept from talking about things that matter, whether that’s the genocide in Palestine, the war on our town’s homeless folks, ICE raids in our community-you name it. The company even monitors my personal social media, which is why I’ve had to stop using it or risk being fired, and that is not a good way to live.”
While they said they will miss engaging with the listeners, they are nonetheless “looking forward to a happier life now that I can put this company behind me.”
“Please take care of each other, Free Palestine, and I’ll talk to you down the road,” they concluded, before sharing their final playlist.
Crane posted video of the moment to Instagram, where they wrote in the caption that they found another job and celebrated being able to use their personal social media again without fearing being fired.
In the comments, hundreds of people praised Crane’s courage, with one person calling the speech “punk as f**k” and another declaring, “What a mic drop!” A third called it “an act of bravery and resistance.”
“Congratulations on prioritizing authenticity and liberating yourself from that madness,” said a fourth commenter.
The radio station does not appear to have commented on Crane’s resignation or allegations.
Crane describes themself on their website as a “poet, podcaster, radio host, troublemaker.”
“I’m a queer, trans, anarchist, non-binary, radio host, podcaster, poet, and fomenter of unrest,” they share, adding that throughout their life they have held dozens of jobs, including union organizer, copy editor, bank teller, waiter, musician, factory worker, bookstore manager, and stand-up comedian.
They have two podcasts, The Jazz Session with Fievel Crane and A Brief Chat. In the former, Crane interviews jazz musicians and has been doing so since 2007. In the latter, Crane “talks with anyone he wants to about whatever they’re into,” according to the website.
They also use their Instagram to educate followers on issues they care about, including what it means to be trans and nonbinary.
ockquote class=”instagram-media” data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=”https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdBoY1TqyBw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading” data-instgrm-version=”14″ style=” background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% – 2px); width:calc(100% – 2px);”>
Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.