A Scott Township, Pennsylvania Commissioners meeting regarding the community pool took a stunning turn, reported WTAE Pittsburgh.
Commissioner Paul Abel interupted the meeting to comment on Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine, who is transgender.
“I tell you, I am tired of listening to a guy dressed up like a woman.”
No other commissioner or participant in the meeting spoke up after Abel’s discriminatory comments.
“If any one of those folks are allies of our community, they should have spoke up. That is a problem,” said Dena Stanley, who is transgender and sits on the board of the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh. “When you see a problem, you speak up. That is how we are going to change things.”
Commissioners Tom Castello, Eileen Meyer, Stacey Altman and Angela Wateska issued a joint statement Thursday, saying, “We were stunned and appalled at the statement made by Commissioner Abel at our June 9th meeting regarding Dr. Rachel Levine. Commissioner Abel’s opinions and views are not those of ours. Our biggest mistake was not addressing Commissioner Abel’s statement when it happened but we were too stunned to immediately respond. For that we apologize.”