Gov Maura Healey DEFENDS appointing trans male to Massachusetts women's commission

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has defended her appointment of a trans-identified male to the state’s Commission on the Status of Women after the appointment, which occurred over the summer, recently sparked backlash on social media.

Healey said in regard to the appointment, "Giselle Byrd is a highly respected leader in the Boston Arts community who is committed to the advancement of women. The Commission has a bipartisan history of having LGBT representation, as Governor Baker appointed the first transgender woman to the Commission in 2016."

The commission released a statement on Monday criticizing the backlash Byrd’s appointment has received, writing that the commission and Byrd were "the subject of a particularly vicious online attack that incited hateful language and violent rhetoric against one of our own. We stand in outrage with our fellow Commissioner Byrd and remain committed to protecting the safety of not only our state and regional commissioners, but of every marginalized individual threatened by violence both online and in person."

"We are first and foremost concerned with the safety of our Commissioner, who has received overt death threats and violent threats against her person as a result of this hateful and factually incorrect article. We condemn violence and threats against women and girls in all forms. Commissioner Giselle Byrd is a member of this Commission and we will not stand for any hatred or violence directed at one of our own.

The commission noted that Byrd is the first "African-American transgender woman to serve" on the commission, and Baker’s appointee, Sara Schnorr, was the first trans-identified male to serve. They said that "the rhetoric regarding her appointment is both transphobic and racist."

"Our commission exists to protect women and girls, no matter what gender identity they were provided at birth. We have a strong track record of fighting for the women and girls here in Massachusetts, and we have proven that we won’t back down when it comes to codifying anti-discrimination and other protections to laws and policies for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Transphobia, misogyny, and racism are central to this proliferating hate speech that we universally condemn," the commission added.

The statement continued, "First formed by the United Nations, we do not think it is a coincidence – and are particularly struck by the irony – of this hateful attack occurring the day after International Day of Tolerance and during Trans Visibility Week. Our mission statement is clear, to promote fundamental freedoms, basic human rights, and the full enjoyment of life for ALL."

News of Byrd’s appointment was criticized on social media, with Libs of TikTok writing, "you cannot make this up."

Commentator Megyn Kelly wrote, "Men make the best women, we all know that."

New Hampshire State Rep Lisa Mazur wrote, "Oh come on. What a slap in the face to real women. Enough of this crap."

"This is what the Left calls ‘progress’—erasing women in the very institutions meant to protect them. You truly can’t make it up," wrote the American Principles Project.