MUNCIE, Ind. – Ryan Webb, the Delaware County Council member who announced last month he now identifies as “a woman of color,” has found support among the highest realms of national conservative media.
Monday night, Webb appeared as a guest of Jesse Watters, the conservative anchor of “Jesse Watters Primetime” who said he was “honored” to meet the Muncie area official.
Webb announced on social media in April that he was now identifying as a “woman of color,” specifically a lesbian Native American woman, but would not be switching his pronouns to reflect the change.
“After much consideration I have decided to come out and finally feel comfortable announcing my true authentic self,” Webb wrote on Facebook. “It is with great relief that I announce to everyone that I identify as a woman and not just any woman but as a woman of color as well. I guess this would make me gay/lesbian as well, since I am attracted to women.”
Watters, who holds down the 7 p.m. Eastern Time slot that once introduced now-fired Tucker Carlson’s primetime hour, zeroed in on Webb’s lesbian claim as a noteworthy accomplishment.
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“I just want to tell you how honored I am because you are the first lesbian Indian that’s ever been on ‘Jesse Watters Primetime,’ so in a way we’re shattering together,” Watters said on the May 1 show.
Webb’s announcement caused a backlash that brought critics to the next county council meeting, April 25, most demanding Ryan Webb resign as a member of council following his declaration on Facebook earlier in the month.
“If he were serious, I’d sing his praises,” said Charlize Jamieson, a transgender female who spoke during the council’s public comments section of the meeting. “But instead, I know better. We all do. I know better because of his history of making hateful anti-trans statements on social media and disrespecting one’s pronouns. He has, purposely, and intentionally, misgendered me, ridiculing my own gender identity. That is not something transgender people do to one another.”
Jamieson pointed to Webb’s decision to retain his male pronouns as a sign he’s not serious about the transition.
“I am continuing to retain my preferred pronouns of ‘he’ and ‘him’ and I am married to my beautiful wife Brandy,” Webb told Watters. “It makes me a lesbian because I’m completely in love with her even though I identify as a woman. We have six children together, so I think it more than qualifies.”
