Republican transphobe condemned for grossly misgendering the trans doctor leading the fight against coronavirus
Zack Cole (Trafford Borough website)
A Pennsylvania councillor has been heavily criticised after he deliberately misgendered Rachel Levine, the trans doctor leading the fight against coronavirus in Pittsburgh.
Zack Cole, a Republican councillor in charge of Trafford’s public safety committee, misgendered and deadnamed Pennsylvania health secretary Dr Rachel Levine in a comment on governor Tom Wolf’s Facebook page.
When people called him out for the offensive remark, he claimed that people “just can’t appreciate humour anymore”, according to Trib Live.
Cole went on to defend himself by claiming that most of his constituents “would have seen the humour” in his comment.
In a bizarre and lengthy tirade posted to Facebook, Cole refused to apologise – but said he wanted to “clear the air”.
Zack Cole lashed out at ‘left wing nut jobs’ after he deadnamed and misgendered trans coronavirus doctor Rachel Levine.
“This past Sunday, Father’s Day, I made a comment directed at health secretary Levine on governor Tom Wolf’s Facebook post. The backlash from Wolf supporters and left wing nut jobs came swift,” he wrote.
The councillor lashed out at the aforementioned “left wing nut jobs” and said: “They can try with all of their might but I will not back down.”
He went on to claim that his comment was in “bad taste” and acknowledged that he should not have posted it given his position.
Remarkably, Cole then went on to claim that he misgendered and deadnamed Levine because he is not happy that he has to wear a face mask in public and is angry that the economy has suffered because of the pandemic.
He closed out his statement by claiming that he will not adhere to “politically correct” standards.
The trans doctor has fought tirelessly against COVID-19.
While Dr Rachel Levine has spent the last number of weeks tirelessly working at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus in her role as secretary of health, others have spent their time recklessly misgendering her.
Last month, she was misgendered by a radio station journalist “multiple times” during a press call.
After being referred to as “sir” several times, Levine sharply rebuked KDKA Radio talk show host Marty Griffin.
“Please stop misgendering me,” she said, “it’s really insulting.” Griffin grovelled as he apologised: “It’s not malicious, I apologise, I’m so sorry.”
Dr Levine has been repeatedly targeted and harassed because of her gender identity since stepping up to lead the state’s efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 – but many Pennsylvanians have also rallied around her, showing that transphobia is never acceptable.
