Mississippi's governor, Republican Tate Reeves, is being heavily criticized on Twitter after going on a bizarrely transphobic rant aimed at girls who compete in sports.
If there’s one thing that we are passionate about in the Reeves family, it’s my daughters’ sports. I know that the… https://t.co/T6QkFDfwJG— Tate Reeves (@Tate Reeves) 1612472125.0
My girls practice tirelessly. They work hard. They’ve learned how to win and, yes, they’ve learned what it feels li… https://t.co/oLoT0BxtRC— Tate Reeves (@Tate Reeves) 1612472126.0
Even more strangely, Reeves seemed to claim that "pushing children" to become transgender was part of the Biden administration's agenda (a clear lie and misunderstanding of gender).
It is also why I am so disappointed over President Biden’s actions to force young girls like them to compete with b… https://t.co/4s6xzve3nE— Tate Reeves (@Tate Reeves) 1612472126.0
I don’t understand why politicians are pushing children into transgenderism in the first place. I certainly don’t u… https://t.co/WOKNidpmXx— Tate Reeves (@Tate Reeves) 1612472126.0
There wasn't a corner of the internet that couldn't find a problem with Reeves's analysis.
@tatereeves I ran cross country in high school, and I was routinely beaten by around half of the girl's team. This… https://t.co/R4o9p5eDCx— Eve Howe (@Eve Howe) 1612643044.0
@tatereeves You literally undo ANY possible good will you may have built w/ people thru the state's vaccine rollout… https://t.co/sNgHgzlu5r— Court (@Court) 1612473155.0
@tatereeves I doubt your girls will ever come into contact with a transgirl competing in their sport. Worldwide, ve… https://t.co/COFVkKkPfS— John Hawkins LPC (@John Hawkins LPC) 1612565274.0
Many pointed out that the protections that Reeves had a problem with were the same ones that protect his daughters from discrimination.
@tatereeves Tate ,I guess it is a crime to want your daughters to have a equal opportunity— jamesmcguire (@jamesmcguire) 1612540397.0
@tatereeves I still can't decide which is smaller, Tate. Your brain or your heart.— L Wms (@L Wms) 1612507191.0
@tatereeves Hi, I am sure you are getting a lot of mean and angry responses. But I understand your concern. However… https://t.co/VIH2yUNbP5— Sally, M.S., BCBA (she/her) (@Sally, M.S., BCBA (she/her)) 1612657132.0
There was also a clear political motivation for Reeves's transphobia.
Here comes the part where Tate Reeves invokes transgender *children* to attack Dem opponent Jim Hood, accusing him… https://t.co/88qo9upbsA— Ashton Pittman (@Ashton Pittman) 1572448217.0
Tate Reeves using transgender children's rights to attack Jim Hood is extra silly, considering my reporting in… https://t.co/aNg8BP3znk— Ashton Pittman (@Ashton Pittman) 1572450893.0
I'm not even SLIGHTLY surprised that Tate Reeves will merrily follow the Texas GOP in demonizing trans people and a… https://t.co/HXs9Mx0lnD— Tammy Rainey 🗽 WarrenDemocrat (@Tammy Rainey 🗽 WarrenDemocrat) 1572458717.0
Twitter users condemned Reeves in the harshest terms.
Not sure if this is a display of ignorance or bigotry on your part, but it is disqualifying regardless. As a public… https://t.co/QrfqJH6mxc— Petty McBetty 🐝 💛 (@Petty McBetty 🐝 💛) 1612825236.0
@tatereeves This is shameful. Using your own children to make an ignorant and discriminatory post.— MS Mags (@MS Mags) 1612504719.0
@tatereeves I wish you’d be as passionate about helping Mississippi during the pandemic as you are about discriminating— Carson B (@Carson B) 1612566886.0
With this Twitter thread, Reeves has placed himself firmly on the side of discrimination and citizens nationwide are taking notice.