Texas AG Ken Paxton misgenders Rachel Levine, a transgender federal official, drawing outrage

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton drew outrage but little surprise from LGBTQ organizations Thursday when he insisted on identifying Admiral Rachel Levine, a transgender woman and an assistant health secretary in the Biden administration, as a man.

Referring to a story listing Levine as one of USA Today's women of the year, Paxton wrote: "Rachel Levine is a man."

Paxton's tweet drew increased attention, and condemnation from LGBTQ groups, because he issued a written opinion last month that equated gender-affirming medical care with child abuse. That opinion in turn prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to direct the state's child welfare agency to investigate medical care for transgender adolescents as abuse.

More: Appeals court rules for Texas family in fight over treating gender-affirming care as child abuse

At least nine families were placed under state investigation for providing gender-affirming care to their transgender children before state District Judge Amy Clark Meachum of Travis County blocked Abbott's directive last week.

Paxton promptly appealed, setting up a prolonged legal fight over transgender medical care in Texas.

Given Paxton's history, LGBTQ groups showed little surprise at his comment about Levine.

“In all honesty, I think it's a little frustrating to, when we literally have families of trans kids being terrorized by his office and the governor's office, to spend too much time observing what we already knew about him,” said Emmett Schelling, executive director of the Transgender Education Network of Texas. “He clearly has no regard for transgender people or transgender Texans.”

“Ken Paxton really clearly has animus towards the LGBTQ+ community," said Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas, a LGBTQ rights organization.

"He has wasted millions in tax dollars terrifying and harming innocent children and their loving families, and has abused the power of an office meant to protect all Texans to further his political aspirations. Admiral Levine is a four-star admiral and a hero," Martinez said.

Levine is the nation’s highest-ranking, openly transgender federal official, a four-star admiral, and a pediatrician with a long career in medicine and public service, having previously served as Pennsylvania’s physician general and secretary of health. She is currently serving as assistant secretary for health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Paxton is headed to a Republican primary runoff in May against Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush as he seeks a third term as attorney general. Paxton's office did not respond to a request for comment, and Bush's campaign declined to comment, on the Levine matter.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Groups condemn Ken Paxton over Rachel Levine Women of the Year tweet