The first openly transgender person elected to Congress, Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, D-Del., referred to House Republicans’ efforts to prohibit her from using the Capitol’s women’s restrooms as mean-spirited and an attempt to divert attention away from important legislative matters on Sunday.
McBride told CBS News Face the Nation, “I think we are all united that attempts to attack a vulnerable community are not only mean-spirited but really an attempt to misdirect.” We must be clear that any mention of any vulnerable group in this nation by the incoming administration or by Republicans in Congress is an attempt to divert attention.
It is an effort to divert attention from what they are truly doing, she continued. Look at what they’re doing with their right hand each and every time they use the word “trans.” Take a look at what they’re trying to defraud Americans of their money by privatizing Social Security and Medicare. McBride went on.
She also called the Republican efforts to limit her bathroom options on Capitol Hill a lot of noise in a different interview on Sunday.
McBride told MSNBC’s The Weekend that although there has been a lot of commotion around her over the past two years, she has managed to stay focused.
She went on to say that she didn’t run for office to create a stir, even though she will be starting her first term as a lawmaker in January.
I didn’t run for first place. Making history wasn’t why I ran. “I ran to deliver for Delawareans and to serve this state that I love,” McBride stated.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is introducing a resolution that would forbid House members and staff from using single-sex facilities other than those that correspond to their biological sex, which coincides with her remarks as Republicans have intensified their attacks on her over the past two weeks.
Mace clarified that the resolution was specifically targeting McBride shortly after it was introduced.
“All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings, such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms, are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,” said Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who joined Mace on Wednesday.
He further mentioned that there are unisex restrooms available throughout the Capitol and that each Member office has a private restroom.
Mace intensified her anti-trans stance on Sunday, telling Fox News, “I’ve been speaking out, and so many women now feel more brave and have more courage.” They believe they will receive assistance.
Following the remarks made by Mace and Johnson, Democrats in both houses of Congress have supported McBride and denounced Republicans for their attacks on her.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, attacked Mace on Sunday, calling her repulsive and incorrect, telling CNN: “We have problems in this country, and yet she’s worried about one member of Congress using the restroom.” First of all, I find her stance repulsive and incorrect, but I also believe that there are much more issues that need to be addressed than where people go to urinate.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre informed reporters during Thursday’s White House press briefing that President Joe Biden is extremely pleased of McBride. She also said, “What [McBride] said is, I’m not here to fight about bathrooms.” I’m here to advocate for Delawareans and reduce the expenses that families must bear. We also concur with her.
Additionally, House Republicans were accused of bullying McBride by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Tuesday.
Jeffries informed reporters that the incoming small House Republican Conference majority is intimidating a member of Congress as part of their transition to the new Congress.
“This is what we’re doing?” he added. Is this the lesson you learned from the November election? Instead of welcome her to join this body so that we can all work together to accomplish things and provide tangible results for the American people, your top objective is to bully a member of Congress.
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