A new appointee to the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women received overt death threats this weekend and has been subjected to a “vicious online attack,” according to a statement by the commission.

Giselle Byrd, the first African American trans woman to serve on the MCSW, was appointed in August by Gov. Maura Healey, but this weekend, news of Byrd’s appointment circulated right-wing publications, according to the commission.

The Herald reported Monday that one state legislator, Rep. Alyson Sullivan-Almeida (R-7th Plymouth), was unhappy with the decision.

“Why on earth would the governor think anyone but a biological woman would make any sense!” Sullivan-Almeida told the Herald. “This appointment makes no sense.”

Healey’s office and the commission both emphasized that Byrd is not the first transgender voice on the commission, with former Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, appointing a transgender woman to the MCSW in 2016.

“We stand in outrage with our fellow Commissioner Byrd and remain committed to protecting the safety of not only our state and regional commissioners, but of every marginalized individual threatened by violence both online and in person,” the commission said in a statement, referencing Byrd’s qualifications and history of activism and leadership.

The commission said Byrd’s safety, as well as the safety of the transgender community as a whole, was critical, calling for greater support for the community amid a national “campaign of hateful anti-trans legislation” and an “alarming pattern of murders of trans women.”

“Our mission statement is clear, to promote fundamental freedoms, basic human rights, and the full enjoyment of life for ALL,” the commission said. “…Massachusetts is a place where we believe that fundamental human rights are for everyone.”

The commission also pointed out the irony of the online attacks arriving during Trans Visibility Week and the International Day of Tolerance.

The MCSW is an independent state agency with a mission “to promote rights and opportunities for all women and girls.” The state website says it “recognizes all women, regardless of their age, race, color, creed, abilities, language, socio-economic status, immigration status, sexual orientation, or gender assigned at birth.”

Established in 1998, the commission is composed of 19 all-volunteer members appointed by the governor, Senate President, Speaker of the House, and the Caucus of Women Legislators.

Byrd serves as the executive director of The Theater Offensive in Boston, the first Black transgender woman to lead a regional theater, according to her bio.