Don Lemon Says Megyn Kelly Looks Like a Trans Woman

Don Lemon took shots at conservative commentator Megyn Kelly's gender ... and many online are now calling the TV newsman a hypocrite.

The former CNN host made the controversial comments on his new "Clip Farmers" podcast ... and, he certainly did some clip farming when he said he think Kelly looks like a trans woman.

He tells his cohosts John Cotter and Chris Miglioranzi he thinks Megyn looks "clockable" ... which they then Google and explain to the audience is a term that means you can easily identify -- or clock -- a person as being transgender.

As you can imagine, the comments started a firestorm online ... with many pointing out people on the left -- like Lemon -- are the ones who have been saying for years not to use identifiers like "trans" as an insult about a person, so it seems hypocritical for Don to use it ... if he did mean it as a dig.

Worth noting ... Lemon was unceremoniously fired from CNN last year amid allegations of misogyny -- including one moment where he said U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley wasn't in her "prime." So, not the first time he's courted controversy with his comments about women.

He's specifically turned his ire on Kelly in the past, too ... calling her a "racist" after she celebrated MSNBC firing anchor Joy Reid.

Megyn hasn't reacted to the trans comment yet, as far as we can tell ... though we doubt she plans to turn the other cheek like Hailey Bieber -- who recently said those insults don't bother her whatsoever.