GOP Lawmakers Target New Trans Congress Member as Speaker Johnson Maintains Tepid Stance

House Speaker Mike Johnson faced scrutiny Tuesday as he addressed a GOP resolution aimed at preventing the incoming Democrat, Representative Sarah McBride from Delaware, from using restrooms that align with her gender identity. McBride is set to make history as Congress’ first openly transgender lawmaker when she is sworn in next month.

The resolution, proposed by South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, calls for modifications to the House rules. If approved, it would bar members, officers, and congressional staff from accessing restrooms “other than those corresponding to their biological sex,” extending this prohibition to changing rooms and locker facilities within the Capitol complex.

Mace openly acknowledged that the legislation specifically targets McBride. The South Carolina representative identifies as a trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a stance that opposes transgender rights. In her social media communications, Mace stated, “If being a feminist makes me an extremist or a bigot or a monster, I am totally here for it. I’m going to fight like hell for every woman and every little girl across this country.”

McBride countered Mace’s resolution, describing it as a distraction from pressing issues faced by Americans. “We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars,” she wrote on Twitter. McBride emphasized the need for respect and kindness among members of Congress, reflecting on the diversity of experiences in everyday workplaces.

While reports suggested that Johnson supported possibly including the resolution in a House rules package for January, he refrained from delving into specifics during a press briefing. “I’m not going to address plans on any of that,” he stated, highlighting a reluctance to engage in what he termed “silly debates.” He acknowledged concerns regarding restroom use but reiterated that Congress should treat its members with “dignity and respect.”

Despite his statements promoting dignity, Johnson later asserted, “I want to be unequivocally clear: a man is a man and a woman is a woman.” This comment generated further debate on the topic and left many questioning the nature of dignity in discourse. Meanwhile, GOP members like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene intensified their rhetoric, demanding firmer actions against McBride’s restroom usage.

In a press conference, Greene referred to McBride using male pronouns and insisted she had asked Johnson for stricter measures, claiming he assured her that McBride would not use women’s restrooms. She also commented on purported threats of physical altercations with transgender individuals in public restrooms, underscoring the heightened tensions surrounding the issue.

House Democrats swiftly condemned the GOP’s proposed resolution. Minority Whip Katherine Clark criticized the focus of Republican lawmakers on restroom access for one member out of 435, asserting, “What they’re talking about there on day one is where one member out of 435 is going to use the bathroom? That is their focus?”

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed this sentiment, accusing Republicans of “bullying” McBride rather than embracing her inclusion in Congress. Both he and Clark argued that GOP lawmakers should prioritize substantive policy issues over culture wars. “The American people say: mind your business about where people do their business,” Clark remarked.