Twitter flags Texas AG’s tweet that intentionally misgenders assistant health secretary
Twitter flagged a Thursday tweet posted by Texas Legal professional Common Ken Paxton (R) in which he misgendered U.S. assistant health and fitness secretary Rachel Levine, but remaining the post up on the system.
Paxton was responding to an posting from Usa Currently in which the outlet named Levine, who is transgender, as a person of its Gals of the Yr.
“Rachel Levine is a gentleman,” Paxton tweeted in response on Thursday.
Twitter flagged the article, indicating it violated platform procedures about “hateful conduct,” but extra that the corporation “identified that it may perhaps be in the public’s desire for the Tweet to continue being obtainable.”
The firm’s choice to flag the tweet but also retain it available drew some scrutiny.
GLAAD said Paxton’s tweet was “malicious harassment of Dr. Levine” and should be taken out.
“This intentional attack violates Twitter’s have policy against targeted misgendering, but it has not been removed,” the organization tweeted on Friday. “@Twitter will have to enforce its have procedures.”
The Hill has attained out to Twitter for comment.
Levine very last 12 months turned the nation’s initial openly transgender individual to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to a federal post. She also serves as an admiral in the Public Wellness Services Commissioned Corps, which incorporates much more than 6,000 people who answer to general public well being crises and natural disasters.
Paxton very last thirty day period mentioned he thinks gender-affirming treatment for transgender teenagers, these kinds of as puberty blockers, amounted to abuse.
Soon just after, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) purchased condition companies to examine reviews of transgender young children acquiring gender-affirming cure as child abuse.
Previously this thirty day period, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Lambda Lawful filed a lawsuit versus the state on behalf of the mother of a transgender teen who says she was investigated by the Texas Office of Relatives and Protecting Expert services.
A Texas judge final 7 days rejected an appeal from Paxton in the circumstance.