Midlands councilman under fire for mocking people choosing pronouns. ‘I apologize for nothing’

A West Columbia City Council member is embroiled in controversy following a Facebook post making fun of the idea that people can pick their pronouns, with protesters and another City Council member suggesting that it might be time for him to resign.

Mike Green, who has served on council since 2017, keyed on his work as a real estate investor in the Tuesday post to his personal Facebook, which included a graphic stating, “My pronouns are IBuyHouses, CashCloseFast, AsIsNORepairsNeeded.”

“Please refer to me by my new pronouns,” he posted alongside the graphic. “Anything less is micro-aggression.”

Backlash was swift, with a Facebook event for an LGBTQ+ Community Activist Call posted to Facebook early the next day, calling for members of the community and their allies to show out in force at the next West Columbia City Council meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, April 2, at 6 p.m.

“This week City Councilman Mike Green posted problematic, and bigoted viewpoints concerning pronouns,” the event states. “When confronted by queer community members instead of resolving and growing as a person he chose to double down. Show city council if they will not hold each other accountable for conduct, then we the people will.”

Dylan Rish, the Brave the Rainbow director at Famously Hot South Carolina Pride who is helping rally the protest outside of his role with that organization, told The State that they have been formally added to the agenda for the meeting. He also said that Green hasn’t yet reached out to anyone speaking out against him.

Rish said the timing of Green’s post is part of why they have reacted so strongly and quickly.

“We as trans people are already facing so much backlash with the anti-trans rhetoric and legislation that is moving through the State House right now,” he explained, “and to see it happening on a smaller level such as with the West Columbia city government, an elected official that’s representing our city, seen as, you know, mockery, it’s just very off-putting and things just need to change.”

Rish added that Green’s resignation would be “fantastic” and that if he doesn’t issue a public apology, that’s exactly what the protesters will be calling for.

Green did double down on the comments from his post when reached by The State.

“I apologize for nothing,” he said in a provided statement. “When ABCDEFGLGBTQ+ are the lexicon of pronouns, it’s as ridiculous as it seems. Voters here in West Columbia agree with me. God made men and women and we only have two genders in America. Period.”

Rish doesn’t buy this argument.

“I am also a Christian. I follow Jesus. I know God. He made me and knew who I would be before I was even born,” he said. “And I am part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I serve as an advocate and board member for nonprofit organizations here in South Carolina. For him to say that, it just really shows more about his character and how he is allowing his personal bias to influence how he holds his position as an elected government official.”

Jimmy Brooks, who also serves on West Columbia City Council, told The State, “I think he should resign, but I’m not calling for his resignation over this.”

Brooks said Green has become an embarrassment for the city, citing the recent post as well as an altercation at a 2021 Lexington County GOP Christmas party at which Green accused a party official of slapping him. Brooks recalled that a group of women showed up to a council meeting following that incident and made fun of Green throughout the session.

“He’s just done some things that haven’t helped us move in the direction that we want to move in, and I think he creates some division or tries to create division in council members,” Brooks said. “I think we all can get along, and we all can have a good way of doing things.”

Green was similarly defiant in the face of Brooks’ comments.

“If my fellow council member wishes to side with the ABCDEFGLGBTQ+ community that is fine,” he said in a statement. “I know I have nothing to apologize for. God made only two genders period.”

And he seemed unbowed by the protesters showing up at next week’s meeting.

“Make sure that they know the time and place,” Green told The State. “I encourage them all to attend.”