Anderson Cooper Misgenders Civil Rights Attorney on Live CNN Town Hall

The incident, corrected live by attorney Grace Thomas, has become a focal point in national debates over gender identity, media accountability, and political polarization.

During a CNN town hall with Senator Bernie Sanders, Anderson Cooper referred to attorney Grace Thomas using incorrect feminine pronouns, prompting Thomas to correct him live on air.
Thomas, who uses they/them pronouns, responded calmly, highlighting the exchange as a significant moment in ongoing discussions about gender identity and representation in media.
The incident sparked strong reactions online, with conservative commentators mocking the correction and framing it as emblematic of perceived liberal media bias and identity politics.
The controversy has underscored broader cultural and political divides, particularly in the context of recent rollbacks on diversity and inclusion policies under President Trump's administration.
The exchange has also raised questions about the Democratic Party's messaging challenges, as Thomas's subsequent question to Sanders addressed the party's struggle to connect with male voters without alienating marginalized groups.