U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Mace (RS.C.) proposed a resolution Monday that would prohibit members and staff from “using same-sex-only facilities other than facilities corresponding to their biological sex.”
The bill, introduced just two weeks after Sarah McBride was elected the first transgender member of Congress, would bar her from accessing women’s restrooms in the U.S. Capitol and House office buildings. The content is as follows.
Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, have indicated they will seriously consider the proposal, but House Democrats have denounced the effort as a cruel attempt to bully their freshman colleagues.
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“This is a blatant attempt by far-right extremists to distract from the fact that we have no real solutions to the realities facing the American people,” she said. “We should be focused on lowering the costs of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars.”
“The people of Delaware sent me here to make the American dream more affordable and accessible, and that’s what I’m focused on,” McBride added. .
Every day, Americans go to work with people whose life journeys are different from ours and treat them with respect, and we hope our members of Congress will mobilize the same kindness. Masu.
— Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) November 19, 2024
McBride’s successful campaign for a large seat in the Delaware General Assembly centered not on the historic nature of her candidacy, but rather on her track record of delivering results for voters, such as paid family and medical leave.
But she spoke about how everyone deserves representation in Congress that respects them and their families.
Ms. Mace used transphobic language to attack Ms. McBride when she spoke to reporters about the bill on Monday. “Sarah McBride has no say. I mean, this is a biological male,” she said, adding that the lawmaker “enters women’s spaces, women’s restrooms, locker rooms, locker rooms, menstruation, endpoints. It was inappropriate for him to do so,” adding that he should “use the men’s restroom” instead.
“I’m going to stand on the brink and stand in their way and stop this madness and this nonsense,” the South Carolina congressman said. She did not directly address questions about what “mechanisms” would be used to “verify who is eligible to use the women’s restroom,” but her bill was approved by House Sergeant at Arms stipulates that the company is responsible for enforcement.
Asked if he introduced the bill “especially because Sarah McBride is coming to Congress,” Mace said, “It’s more than that.”
Responding to questions from reporters on the steps of the Capitol on Monday, far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia used anti-trans language and intentionally misgendered the incoming congresswoman from Delaware. However, he supported his colleague’s proposal.
“He’s a man. He’s biologically male,” she said. “He has a lot of places he can go.”
LGBTQ House members rally behind soon-to-be colleague
Congressman Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), who is gay and chairs the Congressional Equality Caucus, issued a statement to the Washington Blade on Tuesday.
“It’s been a while since Nancy Mace had her 15 minutes of fame,” he said. “Republicans continue to attack transgender people in a desperate attempt to distract from the fact that this Congress is one of the least productive in history. They can’t even pass a farm bill or a major spending bill. “So they are looking to use these bills as cruel attacks to distract from their incompetence in governing and their failure to serve the American people.” ”
“Nancy Mace’s resolution is a pathetic, attention-seeking attempt to get President Trump’s attention and media attention, and transgender people, including transgender employees, are paying the price. Pocan added.
Several other eight LGBTQ House members, all of whom serve as caucus co-chairs, had voiced opposition to the bill as of Tuesday morning.
“The brutality is the point,” said Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vermont). “Is that what you want the sergeant to do when we storm the freak Capitol?”
“Let’s call this bullying,” Equality PAC co-chair Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (N.Y.) said in a joint statement. “Instead of working to reduce the daily household costs of families and provide real relief to people suffering across America, House Republicans singled out a newly elected member of Congress and, for no reason whatsoever, We decided to make life even more difficult.”
“This is nothing but a pathetic attempt by members who have repeatedly shown no interest in governing simply to make headlines and attract attention,” they said. “Congress has a responsibility to focus on issues that matter to all Americans, not police who uses which restrooms.”
The MPs added: “Equality PAC proudly stands behind Sarah and counters the baseless attacks against her and the trans community.” And we’re always going to stand up to bullies, especially the bullies we serve with in the United States. National Diet Building. ”
HRC condemns Mace resolution
Human Rights Campaign spokeswoman Laurel Powell issued the following statement Tuesday:
“Whatever you want to call it, instead of focusing on issues that matter to Americans, Rep. Mace brutally discriminated against her next colleague, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress. They’re trying to get attention.”
“Her resolution, which would also target transgender people who have worked and served on Capitol Hill long before this month’s election, is simply a political farce by adult bullies. This is further evidence of
“This means that the next anti-equality House majority will continue to focus on targeting LGBTQ+ people rather than raising the cost of living or other issues that the American people choose to solve. That’s another warning sign.”
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com