To me it comes across as one of those hidden elements we ignore because someone has done good work in the past. A person may do good works for the community and still have a hell of a lot of problems with hidden cissexism. Sometimes that cissexism is fought and beaten and a reasonable ally becomes a great one. Other times it reveals its ugly face in idiocy like this.

I would assert that Helen is not as great of an ally as many thought and that this is the evidence. That's not to say she has no chance to be a good ally. Only that I believe her dedication to good ally behavior and her views on trans folk are not as ideal as anyone would like or believed.