Fort Myers, FL — Republican candidate Byron Donalds repeatedly misgendered a transgender military veteran during a campaign event Friday, prompting an angry confrontation and criticism from people nearby.
The exchange occurred at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Alico Arena, where Donalds was campaigning ahead of the Nov. 3 election with support from President Donald Trump.
After the woman challenged Donalds, he referred to her as “sir.” When she corrected him and said, “I am not a sir, I am a ma’am,” Donalds continued, saying he was listening to her voice and still heard “a sir.”
The woman eventually walked away after responding with profanity, while other bystanders also criticized Donalds’ remarks.
The confrontation comes as transgender issues remain a prominent part of Republican campaigning in Florida. Donalds and Gov. Ron DeSantis have criticized drag events and gender-affirming medical care, while Donalds has attacked Democratic opponent David Jolly over his positions on transgender health policy.
Trump appeared at the same venue Friday to support Donalds.
The incident highlights the increasingly personal rhetoric surrounding transgender Americans in the closing weeks of the campaign, with Republican candidates frequently making gender identity a political issue while LGBTQ advocates argue such rhetoric contributes to hostility toward transgender people.
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