U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is drawing heat on social media after he said in a speech that he would have pretended to be transgender in high school to shower with girls after gym class.

"Now I wish someone had told me when I was in high school that I could've felt like a woman when it came time to take showers in PE. I'm pretty sure I would've found my feminine side and said, 'Coach, I think I'd rather shower with the girls today.'"

In a speech at the National Religious Broadcasters' convention in Nashville last Sunday, the former Arkansas governor played to the crowd by taking aim at the transgender community.

The remarks drew more attention amid the much-publicized debut of Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner, on the cover of the July issue of Vanity Fair.

Comedian Felonius Munk took to Twitter to say anything a presidential candidate says in public should be taken seriously, contrary to what he expected to hear from "Huckabee defenders."

Elon White of the political group Netroots Nation also questioned why Huckabee is allowed to "talk and make headlines."

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Huckabee also referred to transgenderism as a "social experiment," adding there was something "inherently wrong" with children being faced with this issue when they enter public washrooms.

"We are now, in city after city, watching ordinances that say that your seven-year-old daughter — if she goes into the restroom — cannot be offended, and you can't be offended, if she's greeted there by a 42-year-old man who feels more like a woman than he does a man."

Huckabee, 59, said, "It sounds so ridiculous, doesn't it? And yet, today, we're the ones who are ridiculed and scorned because we point out the obvious."

He said he's not against anybody, but wants someone "to bring their brain to work someday, and not leave it on the bed stand when they show up to govern."