Cake Boss and Transgender, Not So Perfect Together

TLC wanted reality and they got reality, although perhaps a little more than they bargained for.

A transgendered woman who appeared on last night's episode of "Cake Boss" is demanding an apology from Buddy Valastro for calling her a man during a commentary segment for the show.

Carmen Carrera, who was the fourth runner-up of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3, has created an online petition at change.org asking for a public apology to the transgender community.

One of the plots of the episode was to use Carrera as "bait" -- as Valastro put it -- and lure one of the bakery's employees -- Cousin Anthony -- to flirt with her as a prank.

Carrera says in her petition that she educated producers on what terms to use and what phrases would not be offensive prior to the taping of the show. She says that producers agreed to respect her wishes.

She was floored, she wrote on Facebook, when the episode aired and Valastro, after the "big reveal," shouts into the camera "That's a man, baby!"

"Im so upset right now, I cant stop crying," she wrote on Facebook. "My heart truly hurts. I need people to understand that I KNOW I was born male and not ashamed of it. I wouldn't of cared if they said I was born male or USED TO BE male. By calling me a 'MAN' promotes ignorance and makes it ok to call transgender women, men. PEOPLE GET BULLIED, BEAT UP, AND KILLED FOR BEING TRANS BECAUSE OF THIS IGNORANCE!

In answer to that, Buddy tried to reach out the transgender community on the show’s facebook page saying:

I've been trying to connect with Carmen and apologize to her directly, but also think I owe an apology to the entire LGBT community. It was absolutely not my intention to upset or offend her, or anyone within the community, and I was wrong to use the words I did.
I am a supporter of gay rights and equality, and while I regret this situation and my choice of words, I am thankful to have received this feedback and the opportunity to learn from this mistake. I hope that Carmen accepts my sincere regrets.

Cake Boss and Transgender, Not So Perfect Together – TLC Pulls Episode [POLL]