ORLANDO, Fla. — A transgender woman is speaking out after a video showing U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds repeatedly addressing her as “sir” circulated widely online.
The woman, a retired military veteran who asked WFTV to identify her only as Jennifer, said Donalds used the exchange to encourage hostility toward her.
In the video, Jennifer corrects Donalds after he addresses her as “sir.”
“I’m not a sir. I’m a ma’am,” she says.
Donalds continues using “sir” after her request. At one point, Jennifer asks, “Sir again?” Donalds responds, “Yes.”
Jennifer responds
In a statement to Channel 9, Jennifer criticized both the exchange and what she described as Donalds’ subsequent use of the footage.
“He’s so comfortable mocking me, a potential constituent. He then took our social media content to make his own ad to inspire more hate against me and to boost his ego and base,” she said.
The original video drew more than 500,000 views, with versions circulating on political shows and podcasts.
Donalds addresses the exchange
Channel 9’s Greg Warmoth asked Donalds about the interaction during an interview for Central Florida Spotlight.
“It’s really taken on a life of its own on social media. So really, there’s nothing to respond to,” Donalds said.
Warmoth’s full 30-minute interview with Donalds airs Sunday, Nov. 1, at 12:30 p.m. on Channel 9. It will also be available in the Central Florida Spotlight section of WFTV.com after the broadcast.
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