Newly-elected Rep Sarah McBride, the first openly-transgender member of Congress, criticized Republican efforts to restrict transgender youth from competing in women’s sports, saying that she is “mystified that this is a priority”.
Last Friday the House voted on its rules package, which determines how the House of Representatives will conduct itself in terms of procedure, and also outlined a series of legislation considered priority.
At the top of the list is legislation that would change the determination for compliance with Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs that receive federal dollars.
The law would amend the term “sex” to be defined as “sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” Republicans focused heavily on trans girls playing in women’s sports throughout the 2024 election campaign in House, Senate and presidential races.
McBride said that she had spoken with her Democratic colleagues about the legislation, and they are equally frustrated.
“I've had conversations with colleagues about many of the bills that are coming before us, and certainly have heard from some colleagues who, like me, are mystified that this is a priority for a Republican conference that is entering a Republican trifecta, that this is an issue that they prioritize,” she told The Independent on Friday. “And it defies understanding, except for the fact that it's a pretty obvious part of a politics of misdirection and distraction.”
The House adopted the rules package, with Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas joining every Republican in the adoption of the rules, the only Democrat to do so.
On the Senate side, Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, a former head coach of Auburn University, told The Independent he hoped his similar legislation would pass.
“I've had two votes on it,” Tuberville told The Independent. “Not one Democrats ever voted for it. So we'll start over again.”
McBride won an open seat in Delaware, becoming the first openly transgender member of the House of Representatives. But since then, Republicans, led by Nancy Mace, have led efforts to restrict her use of the women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill.
House Speaker Mike Johnson later agreed to Mace’s proposal, which sparked protests from transgender rights activists on Capitol Hill. McBride later said that she would comply with the ban, which angered some advocates.
McBride previously served as a state senator and is close with outgoing President Joe Biden, having worked for his son, late Delaware attorney general Beau Biden.
