‘Transphobe’ gun tweet prompts Arizona governor’s press secretary to resign

(Photo by Christian Petersen via Getty Images)

OAN Brooke Mallory
UPDATED 6:34 PM – Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Katie Hobbs’ Press Secretary Josselyn Berry recently posted a Twitter comment insinuating to advocate gun violence against “transphobes,” just hours after a biological woman who identified as a transgender man shot and killed six people at a Tennessee school.

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Berry, a Democratic activist and Hobbs’ ex-spokesperson, tweeted “Us when we encounter transphobes,” mere hours after Audrey Hale, 28, opened fire at Nashville’s Covenant School, murdering three children and three adults.

The most recent school shooting is also being thought of as a hate crime targeting Christians, since it took place at a notable Christian school.

Two of the victims was a pastor and his young daughter.

(Photo via Twitter screenshot /@joss_berry)

Berry’s tweet featured a GIF (animated image) of actress Gena Rowlands pointing two revolver firearms in a scene from the 1980 film “Gloria.”

“The Governor does not condone violence in any form. This administration holds mutual respect at the forefront of how we engage with one another. The post by the Press Secretary is not reflective of the values of the administration. The Governor has received and accepted the resignation of the Press Secretary,” said the governor’s office in a statement on Wednesday. 

Arizona Republicans swiftly accused Berry of instigating violence and demanded that Hobbs dismiss her from her administration.

Twitter employees eventually deleted the offensive tweet from the app for breaking the terms of service.

An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by the Office of Governor Hobbs.

This recent incident will likely perpetuate the belief in some that transgender people and trans activists are inherently violent and are no longer tolerating individuals who don’t consider trans people to be the gender that they identify as.

While Berry’s departure will probably help “cool the fires” of irate conservatives and those who are wary of being labeled as transphobes, this is still a bad look for Governor Hobbs and her administration.

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