CNN moderator Chris Cuomo on Thursday night mocked the practice of sharing one's personal pronouns during an exchange with Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.) at a town hall on gay rights.
Cuomo's actions triggered outrage online, prompting him to swiftly apologize on Twitter.
Shortly after Harris walked on stage and shook hands with Cuomo, she took the opportunity to share her pronouns with the audience.
"My pronouns are she, her and hers," Harris said.
"She, her and hers? Mine too," Cuomo said.
Harris said, "Alright" in a surprised tone, and Cuomo then moved on to the first question of the town hall.
Cuomo's joke immediately received backlash from gay rights activists and journalists on Twitter, including GLAAD, an organization that promotes LGBTQ acceptance.
Kamala Harris declared her pronouns on such a major stage and she should be applauded but instead it was so disappointing for Chris Cuomo to mock it in that moment. #EqualityTownHall #PowerOfOurPride
— GLAAD (@glaad) October 11, 2019
Now up: Kamala Harris.
She comes out and says, 'My pronouns are ‘She her hers.’"
Chris Cuomo actually responded with a 'joke," saying: 'Mine too."
WTF.
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) October 11, 2019
Anyone else think it's uncool for Chris Cuomo to treat pronouns like a joke at a debate centered on LGBTQ issues?
— Rebecca Green (@wordofgreen) October 11, 2019
Chris Cuomo just mocked Sen. Kamala Harris saying her pronouns by responding "mine too" and the gasp I let out.
Not. Okay.
— Zach Stafford (@ZachStafford) October 11, 2019
https://twitter.com/cmclymer/status/1182470254607437824?s=20
Chris Cuomo’s very special preferred pronouns: Oh/No/You/Didn’t. #EqualityTownHall
— Tim Teeman (@TimTeeman) October 11, 2019
https://twitter.com/BlairImani/status/1182469599624712192?s=20
Will HRC be releasing a statement regarding Chris Cuomo's apparent mockery of sharing one's personal pronouns? (I'm filing my coverage in two hours.)
— Jay Michaelson (@jaymichaelson) October 11, 2019
Oof. Harris came on stage and said "my pronouns are she, her, and hers" and CNN's Chris Cuomo joked "mine too" #EqualityTownHall
— Mary Emily O'Hara (@MaryEmilyOHara) October 11, 2019
Following the event, Cuomo took to Twitter to apologize for his comment.
PLEASE READ: When Sen. Harris said her pronouns were she her and her's, I said mine too. I should not have. I apologize. I am an ally of the LGBTQ community, and I am sorry because I am committed to helping us achieve equality. Thank you for watching our townhall.
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) October 11, 2019
"PLEASE READ: When Sen. Harris said her pronouns were she her and her's, I said mine too. I should not have. I apologize," Cuomo tweeted. "I am an ally of the LGBTQ community, and I am sorry because I am committed to helping us achieve equality. Thank you for watching our townhall."