Wolf
Bloomsburg Fair officials may have apologized for last weekend’s dunk-tank impersonation of Dr. Rachel Levine, but Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday signaled he has had enough of transphobic attacks on the state’s top doc.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought hate and transphobia into the spotlight through relentless comments and slurs directed at Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine, who is a highly skilled, valued, and capable member of my administration and Transgender,” Wolf wrote.
“The derogatory incident involving the Bloomsburg Fair is the latest of these vile acts, which by extension impact Transgender people across the commonwealth and nation,” the governor added.
What happened
Officials with the Bloomsburg Fair on Tuesday held a press conference to apologize for the incident, in which a man representing an area fire company took a dip into a dunk tank at a charity event apparently dressed as Levine.
According to the Associated Press, The Press Enterprise newspaper of Bloomsburg identified the man in the dunk tank as Main Township Fire Chief David Broadt, who told the newspaper he did not set out to impersonate Levine — he said he was “going for a Marilyn Monroe look” — but decided to play along once he got into the dunk tank and people started saying he resembled Levine and shouting, “Where’s your mask?”
The Fair, in turn, put up a Facebook post on Monday reading: “Dr. Levine? Thank you you were a hit and raised a lot of money for the local fire companies. Wonder why so many were trying to dunk you.”
“On behalf of the Bloomsburg Fair Association Board of Directors, our sincerest apologies go out to Dr. Levine, our shareholders, our sponsors and others for this serious lapse in judgment,” Tuesday’s apology read. “The fair prides itself on celebrating the diversity and inclusion of all who visit the fairgrounds.”
‘Hate has no place’
Wolf seemed unconvinced.
“Hate has no place in Pennsylvania, even in the smallest transphobic joke, action or social media post,” he wrote, “calling upon all Pennsylvanians to speak out against hateful comments and acts, including the transphobia directed at Dr. Levine and all Transgender people” in the state.
He was not alone.
Rafael Álvarez Febo, executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, followed up with the following statement on behalf of the commission:
“The leadership of the Bloomsburg Fair knew they were catering to Transphobic sentiments when they chose to impersonate Dr. Levine. Marginalized communities know when we are being targeted and will not be gas-lit into thinking this was just about Dr. Levine’s position as Secretary of Health,” Febo wrote.
Bloomsburg Fair Association President Randy Karschner on Tuesday said the 165-year-old fair does not discriminate.
“This is something we needed to address in person,” Karschner said of the press conference. “We needed to show we are sincere about this. These gates are open to everybody, it doesn’t matter what community you’re from.”
Levine addressed the matter briefly in a TV interview Tuesday following an event at a York hospital.
“My only reaction is that I am going to stay, no matter what happens, laser-focused on protecting the public health in Pennsylvania,” she said.
