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Jeff Varner Loses His Job After Outing "Survivor" Cast Mate As Trans

The gay contestant's employers reportedly "don’t want anything to do with" the controversy.

Jeff Varner, the gay “Survivor” contestant who was eliminated from the reality program after outing a fellow tribe member as a transgender man, has allegedly lost his job as a result of the controversy.

Varner claims he was told by his employer, Allen Tate Realtors, that he is “in the middle of a news story that we don’t want anything to do with,” the Greensboro News & Record reports.

Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images

The North Carolina resident joined the company last month as an real estate agent in one of its Greensboro offices. His Survivor elimination was filmed 10 months ago, but Varner was unable to discuss the episode until after it aired.

“There is deception here,” said Varner during the tribal council. “Deceptions on levels, Jeff, that these guys don’t even understand.” He then asked Smith, “Why haven’t you told anyone that you’re transgender?”

Smith has appeared on two seasons of Survivor—"Millennials vs. Gen X" and the current "Game Changers"—but chose not to disclose his gender identity.

“I didn’t want to be the ‘first transgender Survivor contestant,’” Smith told People. “I’m not ashamed of being trans, but I didn’t want that to be my story. I just wanted to go out on an adventure and play a great game.”

Smith added that he felt Varner outed him in an attempt to get the other contestants to believe trans people are "dangerous and fraudulent."

Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images

After the episode aired, Varner apologized to Smith publicly on social media. "I own responsibility in what is the worst decision of my life," Varner wrote.

“Let me be clear, outing someone is assault,” he continued. “It robs a strong, courageous person of their power and protection and opens them up to discrimination and danger. It can leave scars that haunt for a lifetime."

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