Pennsylvania’s Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, who is transgender, told a local radio host “don’t misgender me” during a press call.
Pittsburgh radio station host Marty Griffin called Levine “sir” at least three times during the call Tuesday concerning the coronavirus. Levine corrected him after his follow-up question, saying, “Please don’t misgender me,” and adding that it was “really insulting.”
Griffin apologized for the phrasing following the exchange and added that he was distracted by juggling “six things at once.”
“I apologize. I apologized twice. I truly did. It was not intentional. It was not. I was not focused. I was doing six things at once,” he tweeted.
I apologize. I apologized twice. I truly did. It was not intentional. It was not. I was not focused. I was doing six things at once. https://t.co/cdBO9r1iF8
— Marty Griffin (@MartyGriffinKD) May 12, 2020
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto canceled his interview with KDKA-AM, where Griffin works, due to the issue.
“Cancelled interview w/ Lynne Hayes-Freeland for tomorrow. Not upset w/her, she’s always been a fair, strong journalist. But will not support @KDKARadio behavior. Growing up, KDKA had good people who made us proud to be from Pittsburgh. Now, it shock-jocks, sensationalism & worse,” Peduto tweeted.
Cancelled interview w/ Lynne Hayes-Freeland for tomorrow. Not upset w/her, she’s always been a fair, strong journalist. But will not support @KDKARadio behavior. Growing up, KDKA had good people who made us proud to be from Pittsburgh. Now, it shock-jocks, sensationalism & worse.
— bill peduto (@billpeduto) May 12, 2020
Levine transitioned years ago, according to the Washington Post, and serves as Pennsylvania’s highest-ranking transgender official.
“Her transition from Richard to Rachel was slow, deliberate and filled with research. She started seeing a therapist about 15 years ago,” the paper reported of Levine in 2016. “About eight years ago she started growing out her hair, which is now long and curly, and publicly announced herself as a transgender woman about five years ago.”
