Lt. Governor of California and LGBT advocate, Gavin Newsom (D) has upset many LGBT people on Facebook because of comments he made in response to a transgender woman’s remarks regarding his planned California gun control measure.

Nicki from Fresno posted this question on Facebook in response to the former San Francisco mayor's recent "Safety For All" initiative, a restrictive open carry policy:

“If Gavin Newsom gets this passed, how will transgender women like me be able to protect ourselves?”

Newsom, in response to the query wrote:

“The NRA group in California is using the Trans community to fight our common sense gun safety initiative. Using the Trans community to fight their battle of lies is arguably one of the most disgusting things they've ever done.”

Several people took offense to Newson’s response and defended Nicki, saying she is a member of the Pink Pistols, an LGBT firearm advocacy group; she is not a part of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

The Pink Pistols are in fact not associated with the NRA, however their website does state they have worked with them on court cases in the past.

Newsom’s feed became a hotbed of mostly negative remarks calling him transphobic and mis-informed:

“I met Nicki, she's not a puppet, she works for the community, not the NRA and to attack her character is a disgusting bit of mud slinging that I can't abide.” – Cameron Barker

“So you are transphobic Gavin Newsom? Why cant "she" have a gun to protect herself? Doesn't she deserve the same right to protection that you afford yourself with your armed security? That is not very progressive to deny someone like her the constitutional right to her second amendment.” – Adam Holloway

“Um Gavin...you just accused a LGBT group of exploiting the Trans community. That's a special kind of stupid right there. You see, Nicki is part of the Pink Pistols. The Pink Pistols are a pro 2nd Amendment LGBT organization. And while the Pink Pistols are likely supportive of the NRA...and vice versa...they're not affiliated. But, ya know, never let the truth get in the way of your anti gun agenda and bashing the NRA. But it would seem that the only one who is actually trying to exploit the LGBT community here...is YOU!” – Mike Cabo

Newsom is an avid gun control activist and he recently authored an initiative that would require background checks for ammunition sales and force licensing for ammunition sellers. If passed, California would be the only state to have such a law.

The measure also seeks to create a process to seize weapons from individuals with criminal records, also require lost or stolen weapons to be reported to the federal authorities.

Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed several of Newsom’s ideas, but lawmakers are re-organizing some of his concepts to create future initiatives of their own.

“Politicians like Newsom need to concentrate on stopping criminals and terrorists, not law-abiding citizens exercising their rights,” said Chuck Michel, co-chairman of the Coalition for Civil Liberties in the Sacramento Bee.