RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The public outcry continues more than a week after video surfaced of Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson referring to being transgender and homosexuality as “filth”

Robinson was speaking at Asbury Baptist Church in Seagrove in June when he made the comments.

“There’s no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, any of that filth. And yes I called it filth. And if you don’t like that I called it filth, come see me and I’ll explain it to you,” Robinson said in the video.

He said the topics of “transgenderism and homosexuality” have no place in public schools.

Robinson said he was referencing those being taught in schools and said he will not back down from his comments.

On Friday, faith leaders and members of the LGBTQ community rallied outside the Capitol with demands for Robinson before marching to Robinson’s office.

They want Robinson to apologize for his comments and start having face-to-face meetings with members of the LGBTQ community or resign.

“Not only has Mr. Robinson placed countless lives at risk by fanning the flames of ignorance, hate and bigotry. He has done it from locations implying that he is speaking for the greater Christian community. Let me tell you…he is not,” said Rev. Vance Haywood of St. John’s Metropolitan Community Church in Raleigh.

The North Carolina Values Coalition called Robinson a “breath of fresh air” and thinks his comments were taken out of context.

“He will not resign. I don’t think there’s a need for an apology only because he made the clarification. He is a man of God and firm in what drives his values, but he also knows we are all God’s children,” said Stephen Xavier with NC Values.

Deondra Rose, associate professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, said anything Robinson says takes on special magnitude because of his position.

“It makes great sense that people are taking the lieutenant governor’s comments to heart. That they are taking them seriously because he really is a standard bearer,” she said.

“In terms of the stakes for the political landscape, that’s a big one. Is the extent to which Americans will actually and North Carolinians will go for this kind of talk or will they make it clear that it’s unacceptable,” Rose added.