Civil rights groups are firing back at California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom after he attacked the NRA for “using” transgender people to push its pro-gun agenda.

Mr. Newsom posted a meme by the Coalition for Civil Liberties featuring a woman named Nicki Stallard, asking, “If Gavin Newsom gets this passed, how will transgender women like me be able to protect ourselves?”

The meme is in reference to Mr. Newsom’s “Safety for All” initiative to require background checks for ammunition.

“The NRA group in California is using the Trans community to fight our common sense gun safety initiative,” Mr. Newsom wrote Friday in response to meme. “Using the Trans community to fight their battle of lies is arguably one of the most disgusting things they’ve ever done.”

The Pink Pistols, a gay gun rights group boasting chapters in 33 states, is demanding the lieutenant governor apologize for what they called “ignorant and unfounded statements.”

“What Gavin Newsom said about Nicki is not only laughable, it is ignorant and insulting,” Pink Pistols first speaker Gwen Patton told Guns.com on Monday. “Nicki Stallard has been one of the Pink Pistols’ strongest voices in California for many years. Since the accident that reduced my ability to travel, she has been my eyes, ears, and voice at public gatherings and conventions, to let people know that there are LGBT people who support the Second Amendment and lawfully carry firearms for self-defense.

“I respectfully suggest that Gavin Newsom download and read the Pink Pistols Utility Manual from our website, and would very much appreciate it if he would issue an apology to Nicki Stallard and the rest of the Pink Pistols for his ignorant and unfounded statements,” Ms. Patton said.

The Coalition for Civil Liberties, with which the Pink Pistols are allied, also condemned the lieutenant governor’s comments, writing in a statement: “Newsom’s condescending tone to Nicki has rightfully angered many people. He also questioned her motives for wanting to defend herself. The LGBT community needs representatives and policies that help them deal with the very real dangers they face every day. The last thing they need is to have politicians attacking their desire to protect themselves against the threats they face.”

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