'Just misgendered water and air': Donald Trump Jr mocked for slamming 'nonbinary' name Beryl for hurricane

GRENADA: CARIBBEAN: Donald Trump Jr faced backlash after criticizing the 'nonbinary' name of Hurricane Beryl, which is currently heading towards the Caribbean.

In a tweet on Saturday, former President Donald Trump's eldest son wrote, "Beryl? Even our Hurricanes are gender nonbinary now."

Meteorologist Ricky Matthews responded to Trump Jr's tweet, emphasizing that "Hurricanes are referred to as "it", not he or she." "Also this name has been in use for years, as part of a rotating list that comes around again every six years. English, Spanish, and French names make up the list since the Atlantic borders countries that speak those languages."

Hurricane Beryl's impact

Hurricane Beryl strengthened into a Category 4 storm on Saturday and is forecasted to reach the Windward Islands as an "extremely dangerous" hurricane by early Monday. It poses a significant threat to Grenada, St Vincent, and the Grenadines, maintaining its intensity as it moves through the Caribbean.

Beryl's early arrival marks an unprecedented start to the Atlantic hurricane season, becoming the earliest Category 4 storm on record for June. Despite briefly weakening to a Category 3 by early Monday, it remains a potent threat, potentially the strongest storm the region has faced since Hurricane Ivan in 2004, reported CNN.

With sustained winds of 120 mph, Beryl was located approximately 110 miles southeast of Barbados as of early Monday, with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 30 miles from its center. Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines urged residents to prepare for the storm's impact. 

“I want everybody in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to take this matter very seriously,” said Prime Minister Gonsalves. Gonsalves holds the record as the longest-serving head of government since St. Vincent and the Grenadines gained independence in 1979. “There are some persons who are hoping for the best, and we must all do that, but we all have to prepare for the worst.”

Social media backlash erupts over Donald Trump Jr's hurricane name criticism

The debate ignited a storm of responses online, with some users accusing Trump Jr of misgendering and others criticizing what they perceived as an unnecessary controversy.

Contrary to Trump Jr's comment, a social media user noted that Beryl is historically recognized as a name given to females dating back to the 19th century. The list of names for tropical cyclones has been in use since 1979 and is recycled every six years, with Beryl last used in 2018 for a Category 1 hurricane.

Another said, “You just misgendered water and air you BIGOT!”

A third claimed, "My god you people are useless."

"It identifies as a tropical storm," read a tweet.

"They will push this agenda at all costs," mocked an individual.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.