What is FOTF? Twitter suspends Christian group for calling Rachel Levine 'a man', pro-Trumpers say 'it's fact'
President Joe Biden hoped to change 'hostile' LGBTQ laws by signing the Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation. However, Trump's allies are hardly on board as latest news arrives that Twitter suspended a Christian organization for calling Dr Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a man.
Focus on the Family (FOTF)’s Twitter account The Daily Citizen was banned from the social media site for their opinions and tweeting, "Dr Levine is a transgender woman, that is, a man who believes he is a woman."
Many on social media, particularly Trump's supporters and MAGA fans, shared how they really feel about this apparent censorship and pointing out that they are worried they will be next. "CENSORSHIP ALERT: Twitter banned @FocusCitizen from their platform. The crime? A tweet which identified Asst. Health Sec. pick Rachel Levine as a biological male. If stating the facts gets you banned, none of us belong here. @Twitter, we're wondering: #AreWeNext? RT to speak out!" one tweeted.
CENSORSHIP ALERT: Twitter banned @FocusCitizen from their platform. The crime? A tweet which identified Asst. Health Sec. pick Rachel Levine as a biological male. If stating the facts gets you banned, none of us belong here. @Twitter, we're wondering: #AreWeNext? RT to speak out! pic.twitter.com/Z1cUJrK0sZ
— FamilyPolicyAlliance (@family_policy) January 29, 2021
But no sooner was this debate sparked on social media than many jumped on the bandwagon calling to attention to the "facts". "Lets not fool ourselves...the person that calls themselves Dr. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is a biological male," one tweeted. "@Twitter
has now decided stating a fact is hate speech. Rachel Levine is a biological man. #FACT. Dr. Levine has XY chromosomes and is a man. #FACT. Body modifications, long hair, dress, hormones, or wishful thinking cannot change biological sex. #FACT" another added.
Lets not fool ourselves...the person that calls themselves Dr. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is a biological male.
— The_Jay_Page (@The_Jay_Page) February 1, 2021
@Twitter has now decided stating a fact is hate speech. Rachel Levine is a biological man. #FACT. Dr. Levine has XY chromosomes and is a man. #FACT. Body modifications, long hair, dress, hormones, or wishful thinking cannot change biological sex. #FACT https://t.co/lDaJQbIq3w
— MoniqueNicole (@MoniqueNicole) February 1, 2021
The hashtag #BidenErasedWomen took over the internet once again in wake of this. "Dr. Rachel Levine is a biological, genetic male. You aren't a woman because you choose to groom and dress yourself as a stereotype of a biological, genetic female. What a slap in the face to us women. #BidenErasedWomen"
Dr. Rachel Levine is a biological, genetic male. You aren't a woman because you choose to groom and dress yourself as a stereotype of a biological, genetic female. What a slap in the face to us women. #BidenErasedWomen
— Dr. Piper (@Piper67753797) February 1, 2021
Many even took the conversation in what could be considered the wrong direction by many. "@SecretaryLevine has a serious mental disorder. He should be pitied and helped. Not in control of serious aspects of American’s lives. #DrRachelLevine #MentalHealthMatters".
@SecretaryLevine has a serious mental disorder. He should be pitied and helped. Not in control of serious aspects of American’s lives. #DrRachelLevine #MentalHealthMatters
— Victoria Olsen-Holt (@VicOlsenHolt) February 1, 2021
When Biden nominated Levine, it was based on credentials. Levine, who serves under Xavier Becerra, Biden's nominee to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services, "will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic — no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability," Biden had said in a statement. The professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine led Pennsylvania's response to the coronavirus outbreak as the commonwealth's top health official. "She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administation's health efforts." Biden said, adding her expertise also included the opioid crisis, medical marijuana and LGTBQ+ medicine, among other areas.
This is not the first time that Levine has garnered hate online. Last week, Jeff Pyle, a Republican from Armstrong and Indiana counties in western Pennsylvania, apologized for sharing an image mocking Levine's appearance. “I owe an apology and I offer it humbly,” Pyle said, not specifically apologizing to Levine or other transgender people. He later apologized “to all affected”. “From this situation I have learned to not poke fun at people different than me and to hold my tongue,” he wrote. “Be a bigger man.”