Levine corrects Pittsburgh radio host during call ‘Please stop misgendering me’

In a call with reporters on Tuesday, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine had to admonish a Pittsburgh radio talk show host to “please stop misgendering me” after he called her “sir” multiple times. 

I apologize. I apologized twice. I truly did. It was not intentional. It was not. I was not focused. I was doing six things at once. https://t.co/cdBO9r1iF8

— Marty Griffin (@MartyGriffinKD) May 12, 2020

KDKA-AM radio personality Marty Griffin was asking a question about what the state’s “end game” was for reopening the state, and the color-coded system of red, yellow and green counties. In the course of asking his question, Griffin called Levine, a trans woman, “sir” at least three times. After being confronted by Levine,  Griffin apologized on the call and later on Twitter claiming he was distracted.

After multiple times of calling her "sir" on a media call, Dr. Levine asks Marty Griffin to "please stop misgendering me." He apologizes.

— lisa cunningham (@trashyleesuh) May 12, 2020

Griffin, a former KDKA-TV reporter, has run afoul of the LGBTQ community in the past. And he’s not the only KDKA radio host to come under fire for insensitive remarks; afternoon drive time host and ex-WTAE-TV anchor Wendy Bell was roundly criticized for a recent segment questioning whether it was worth shutting down the economy when “less than 1 percent of our population” might die from the coronavirus. 

Cancelled interview w/ Lynne Hayes-Freeland for tomorrow. Not upset w/her, she’s always been a fair, strong journalist. But will not support @KDKARadio behavior. Growing up, KDKA had good people who made us proud to be from Pittsburgh. Now, it shock-jocks, sensationalism & worse.

— bill peduto (@billpeduto) May 12, 2020