NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson stands by LGBTQ+ 'filth' comments amid calls for resignation
North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson has doubled down after his comments calling transgenderism and homosexuality “filth” drew widespread rebukes and calls for him to resign.
Robinson, a Republican, made the controversial comments in June at the Asbury Baptist church in Seagrove, North Carolina. “There’s no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, any of that filth,” he told the audience. “And yes, I called it filth. And if you don’t like it that I called it filth, come see me and I’ll explain it to you.”
As Lieutenant Governor, Robinson holds the second-highest office in the state, and he would take over if Gov. Roy Cooper is ever unable to perform his duties.
His words went viral last week after the group “Right Wing Watch” tweeted a clip of his speech. In recent days, scores of advocacy groups and politicians — from Raleigh to the White House — have denounced what Robinson said.
“These words are repugnant and offensive,” said White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates in an Oct. 8 statement. “The role of a leader is to bring people together and stand up for the dignity and rights of everyone; not to spread hate and undermine their own office.”
In a tweet calling on Robinson to resign, state senator and 2022 U.S. Senate hopeful Jeff Jackson (D-Mecklenburg), wrote: “There's no debate here. This is open discrimination. It is completely unacceptable.”
When she first heard Robinson’s comment, Allison Scott of the Asheville-based non-profit Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE) said her thoughts went to the LGBTQ youth experiencing prejudice because of their identities.
“For some of them, it starts taking away their hope that things are going to change or even can change,” she said. “And that’s scary.”
"I'm an adult, so I have a lot of resilience because I've had to," Scott, who is transgender, added. "But I think about 12-year-old trans kids, or nonbinary kids, who are coming to me and to CSE saying 'Hey, I'm just struggling with coming out. I'm struggling with things at my school.'"
Robinson's words, Scott said, illustrate why more local governments should push for LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinances.
But Robinson is standing by his words. When asked by WRAL in an Oct. 7 interview if he would use a different word besides “filth,” he said, “absolutely not.”
In defending his comments, he argued he was specifically discussing the teaching of LGBTQ issues in public schools.
“That is in reference to introducing it to children in the classroom,” Robinson told WRAL, adding that “in our public schools, it has no place.”
Robinson made similar comments on Sept. 30 at an anniversary celebration for the North Carolina Values Coalition. “And they’re pushing these perverted agendas, to try to teach our children that they're really not boys or girls, or they're shoving this homosexuality garbage down their throats,” he said.
What children are taught in schools has been a major issue for Robinson. In March, he launched a “fairness and accountability” task force called F.A.C.T.S aimed at “exposing indoctrination in the classroom.” The task force’s online portal allowed parents to report alleged instances of indoctrination in K-12 classrooms.
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Brian Gordon is a statewide reporter with the USA Today Network in North Carolina. Reach him at bgordon@gannett.com or on Twitter @briansamuel92.