With over two decades worth of episodes, Survivor has evolved in countless ways. There have been many moments shown, especially within recent seasons, that go beyond the game. One of the most shocking and heartbreaking personal moments happened on Survivor: Game Changers, when Zeke Smith was outed publicly by his tribemate. No one saw this moment coming, and it has changed the course for transgender players.
Even the most recent season of Survivor has had an immense amount of love shown towards an openly transgender man, Jackson Fox. With twenty-one years of airtime, Survivor has gone from a social experiment in the wilderness to a reflection of the evolution of society in the past two decades.
8 Zeke Smith Gets Outed By A Tribemate
In one of the most shocking personal attacks the show has ever seen, Zeke Smith was outed as transgender by his tribemate and friend, Jeff Varner. Zeke was stunned, sitting there heartbroken and speechless by what his friend had just done to him.
7 Fellow Tribemates Support Zeke Smith
While fans don't see Zeke say anything for quite some time, all five tribemates support him. Andrea Boehlke, Debbie Wanner, Ozzy Lusth, Sarah Lacina, and Tai Trang all stood behind Zeke Smith and condemned not only Jeff Varner's actions, but also his excuses. There were lots of tears shed from fellow cast members, and nothing but love and support was given to Zeke Smith in a moment when he needed it the most.
6 Jeff Probst Stands Behind Zeke Smith
Jeff Probst very rarely lets interviewers know his personal opinion on big moments in Survivor, but he did comment on this very emotional episode. He has said that it was such a shocking moment, that he couldn't believe that he heard Jeff Varner's question correctly. Jeff Probst went on to say that this is "one of the most raw and painful studies of human behavior that has ever happened on Survivor."
5 Finding The Positives
While this clearly is not the way that Zeke Smith intended to come out, he has taken it on as a part of his Survivor journey and is finding the best of it. After being publicly outed, he realized that there was an opportunity to make a positive impact in the LGBTQ+ community, and specifically, the transgender community.
4 "Something Good Could Come From It"
Zeke told the ladies of The Talk that he talked with Jeff Probst, the producers and director months in advance before the show aired this emotional moment. He knew that it was next to impossible for the show to edit out this scene, as it was a huge moment in tribal council. By airing such a vulnerable moment, Zeke Smith knew that he could help thousands within the transgender community.
3 'Survivor' Changes
Survivor has evolved with societal changes over the past two decades, with LGBTQ+ rights and diversity at the forefront. Jeff Probst says the exact same phrase before every challenge: "Come on in, guys." In season 41, he asked the cast members if they wanted to remove the word 'guys' from his saying, to keep it gender-neutral. It wasn't until a following challenge that a cast member said they wanted it changed, and Jeff Probst moved forward without using the word 'guys.'
2 A Raw Moment On A Reality Show
Survivor has had its fair share of villains in the game, but this moment went beyond the game. Fans love to hate villains, like Russell Hantz and Boston Rob, but Jeff Varner became a different type of villain. Publicly outing someone, and then using gameplay as an excuse, was one of the most gut-wrenching, real-life moments that fans experienced. Zeke Smith experienced a moment that many transgender people fear every day of their lives, and he was exposed to millions of fans watching at home.
1 Zeke Smith Showed His Kind Heart In A Terrible Moment
Before Zeke Smith received national attention for his public outing, he was recognized as a strategic player in recent seasons. With the evolution of the game comes evolving strategic players, and Zeke was at the forefront of these players. He wanted to be remembered as an amazing Survivor player instead of just being a transgender man on Survivor, but that was taken away from him. Beyond his strategy, this moment showed his kind heart. He was able to forgive a man who outed him to millions around the world watching, and fans were both heartbroken and joyous to see the smile on Zeke's face at the end of this episode.
