RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – In a video posted on social media Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) calls the transgender rights movement “demonic,” and that teaching children about it “is dragging our kids down into the pit of hell.”  

In the clip, which was posted on Twitter Tuesday by the group Right Wing Watch, Robinson is seen speaking to the Upper Room Church of God in Christ in Raleigh in early August. Click here to view.

“That ain’t got no place at no school. Two plus two don’t equal transgender. It equals 4. You need to get back to teaching them how to read instead of teaching them how to go to hell. Yeah, I said it and I mean it,” he said.  

He also said, “If there’s a movement in this country that is demonic and that is full of anti-, the spirit of Antichrist, it is the transgender movement.”  

Robinson held a news conference Tuesday at 3 p.m. 

He’s faced calls to resign from LGBTQ groups and Democrats after another video surfaced last week in which he refers to being transgender and homosexuality as “filth.” 

He defended his comments in a video over the weekend, citing three books that are found in libraries in some public schools, including one called “Gender Queer” which includes graphic images.   

Earlier Tuesday, some LGBTQ members of the General Assembly held a press conference highlighting the impacts of Robinson’s comments and calling for statewide nondiscrimination protections.  

“When comments are made about a specific group that is disparaging, that group then suffers,” said Rep. Allison Dahle (D-Wake). “When you live in a place where you’re pointed out as something not good, it’s really hard to process that.” 

Rep. Marcia Morey (D-Durham) described Robinson’s highlighting of books with explicit material as a “bait-and-switch.” 

“I think this started out by a video that was in a church, and it was disgusting. And now, it has pivoted to what kids are reading in schools,” said Morey. “I think we all want good, solid literature for kids to read. But, don’t conflate this with the words of hate and filth that sparked this entire debate.” 

The lawmakers said they’ve received many emails and calls since the video of Robinson’s speech surfaced on social media last week. 

Dahle said they wanted to wait first to see how he would react to that before they spoke about the matter. 

She and other Democratic legislators at the press conference said they had not heard from Republicans in the General Assembly or from Robinson about the matter. Dahle said she has not reached out to Robinson and does not intend to do that. 

“To go and seek out hatred is really not on my list of things to do,” she said. 

Rep. Vernetta Alston (D-Durham) referenced a survey released earlier this year by the Trevor Project that found 42 percent of LGBTQ youth “seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.” Click here to read.

Dahle shared resources for those struggling, including the LGBT National Hotline, which is (888) 843-4564.