Right-wing elected officials continue to target transgender Americans through unhinged rhetoric, dangerous laws, and an onslaught of disinformation.
Far-right Congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado is one of those elected officials. Most recently, she attacked Dr. Rachel Levine, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health and the highest-ranking openly trans official in United States history.
This week, Levine added another distinction to her list of achievements when she became the first transgender and first woman four-star admiral in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
While many celebrated the milestone, Boebert used the moment to attack Levine and further promote the false idea that trans women aren't real women, and the deadly position that trans people's existence alone is a political stance threatening to tear apart the fabric of American society.
Boebert shared a picture of Levine with the caption, "Welcome to woke medicine, America."
Welcome to woke medicine, America.pic.twitter.com/OfKWX2GM90— Lauren Boebert (@Lauren Boebert) 1634690771
Unlike Boebert, who owns a gun-themed restaurant and had never held elected office before her time in Congress, Levine has a litany of qualifications that make her a good fit for her current roles in public health.
Democratic Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia was quick to remind Boebert of this, calling the Congresswoman a "hateful bigot" after listing Levine's resumé.
Dr. Levine is an accomplished pediatrician, a graduate of Harvard and Tulane, a former fellow at one of America's top teaching hospitals, a professor who created medical programs at Penn State to help young people, and PA's former Physician General.\n\nYou are just a hateful bigot.https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1450624350592327687\u00a0\u2026— Rep. Don Beyer (@Rep. Don Beyer) 1634694183
People cheered Beyer's response.
Beautifully stated. Thank you.— Jenny Farquhar (@Jenny Farquhar) 1634742264
"You are just a hateful bigot."\n\nThat is not true. She is also an idiot.— Brian George (@Brian George) 1634697449
100%— PamelaTweets (@PamelaTweets) 1634741807
Beyer wasn't the only one to push back against Boebert's bigotry.
Ahhh yes a highly trained professional. @Harvard undergrad and @Tulane med school graduate. Someone working to better America. Something you know absolutely nothing about.https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1450624350592327687\u00a0\u2026— Jeff Raddatz (@Jeff Raddatz) 1634742829
A sitting member of Congress disparages an Admiral because @laurenboebert hates strong women. She knows she will never accomplish what Levine has. Lauren supports our troops unless you don\u2019t fit her view of the world. Then there is no support.https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1450624350592327687\u00a0\u2026— TurnCO3blue (@TurnCO3blue) 1634730247
She is a Doctor. You promote guns with sex. https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1450624350592327687\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/v9IVe9K7X3— BasicFred (@BasicFred) 1634693966
@Harvard undergrad and @Tulane for med school. Woke medicine? Sign me up.— Sleepless w/ Prattle (@Sleepless w/ Prattle) 1634692972
The more woke the better!\n\nAdmiral Rachel Levine is accomplished doctor. As the Assistant Secretary of Health, she's working to improve the health and wellbeing of all Americans. \n\nRep. Boebert, use your platform to raise people up, not denigrate them.— Cynical Dreamer (@Cynical Dreamer) 1634695643
I\u2019d trust a moldy potato, a Pinterest recipe blog post, and my sisters cat before I trusted Boebert\u2019s opinion on anything medical related— houseguest choice (@houseguest choice) 1634693286
Sadly, Boebert's tweet gave conservative social media users yet another outlet to spew the same transphobia and hate that endangers countless trans people every day.
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