Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) chewed out anti-trans “Libs of TikTok” creator Chaya Raichik in the Capitol, video posted on Thursday shows.
The encounter started friendly enough, as Raichik appeared to withhold her identity at first as they posed together for a picture. Then she said to the progressive lawmaker: “I just delivered an ethics complaint to your office because you lied about me in a committee hearing.”
“I actually didn’t, because you’re actually super transphobic, and I never want to share a space with you. Thank you!” Ocasio-Cortez snapped back before storming off.
A trans-rights activist also shared the clip, lauding Ocasio-Cortez for shutting down Raichik “straight to her face.”
“You bet I did,” Ocasio-Cortez replied on Twitter. “NYC doesn’t play with bigots and transphobes and neither do I.”
Raichik, known for her anti-LGBTQ activism, had just visited the lawmaker’s office to hand over a complaint accusing Ocasio-Cortez of defaming her at a recent hearing. The lawmaker said Raichik’s 2022 tweet claiming that Boston Children’s Hospital provided gender-affirming hysterectomies for young girls was “false information.” A doctor from that hospital discussed the procedure in a video, but did not say who was eligible.
Reports debunked Raichik’s allegation, noting that the hospital does not offer gender-affirming hysterectomies to patients under 18. Candidates must also meet other criteria. The hospital also updated its language to clarify its position, The Associated Press noted.
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