Christian Siriano, the flamboyant Mowgli-impersonator who won the last season of design competition show Project Runway, sort of coined the term "trannie" as a descriptor for things that other gays might call "a hot mess" or "[three snaps]." Now, because there are, um, you know, actual transgender people who feel a bit put-off by his verbiage, Siriano is trying to banish the term from his vocabulary. He's not doing a very good job, though. In a recent Time Out New York story about queer folk, he made some untoward comments about drag queens and, well, trannies:

When asked why drag is such an integral party of the queer community, Siriano expounded:

If you think of heterosexuals, they have white-trash women and trailer parks, and we have drag queens and trannies. I don't know if I'm the one who can explain it. It's, like, drag queens are just there. These answers are hard!


Oops! Heh heh. He's now trying to wave away that statement, using the old "some of my best friends..." excuse:

I wish that my words were not taken in that way. When I was speaking, some comments that I made were not used in the article. I completely support the fabulousness and amazing fashion inspiration that most transgender people provide. I know plenty of trans people. Some of my best friends had the struggle finding themselves. As did I considering that I am a very flamboyant gay man. I mean no disrespect to the transgender population and I never will. Some of my close friends happen to be transgender and I think they are some of the most inspiring people in my life.


Trannie hot mess! I mean, fierce! I mean, good on you, lad.


Siriano Clears Air on Trans Trip [cineQueer]