Delaware Congresswoman Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, criticized Republican lawmakers for fixating on her gender identity rather than addressing critical policy issues affecting Americans. McBride’s remarks came during the Democrats’ annual retreat in Leesburg, Virginia, on Wednesday.
“I appear to live rent-free in the minds of some of my Republican colleagues,” McBride said, referencing ongoing attacks from GOP members who have continually focused on her identity rather than substantive legislation.
The comments followed an incident just days prior when Rep. Keith Self, a Texas Republican and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s subpanel on Europe, misgendered McBride multiple times during a hearing. Self referred to her as “Mister McBride,” prompting an immediate response from Rep. Bill Keating, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, who demanded a correction. Self, however, adjourned the hearing instead of apologizing.
Despite the ongoing attacks, McBride remained steadfast in her criticism of the GOP’s preoccupation with culture war issues. “I wish that they would spend even a fraction of the time that they spend thinking about me, thinking about how to lower the costs for American families,” McBride said. “I wish they would spend a fraction of the time that they spend thinking about me, figuring out how to make government actually work better, rather than making it work worse in order to prove that government can’t work.”
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks from Republican lawmakers against McBride since she took office in January. Earlier this year, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, enacted a policy restricting transgender individuals from using restrooms that align with their gender identity in the Capitol. The move sparked national outrage and was widely condemned by LGBTQ+ advocates as an attempt to marginalize transgender Americans.
The bathroom ban led to another controversial moment when Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Nancy Mace of South Carolina confronted a cisgender woman in the Capitol restroom, mistakenly believing her to be McBride. The situation highlighted the potential dangers of the policy and prompted further criticism from LGBTQ+ groups.
“The Republican Party is obsessed with culture war issues,” McBride said, expressing frustration with the GOP’s ongoing focus on divisive topics. “It is weird, and it is bizarre. And the American people deserve serious legislators, serious elected officials who are focused on bringing people together to deliver real results for the American people. Not to play games, and not to engage in schoolyard taunts.”
McBride also responded directly to GOP complaints about decorum. “We will not take a lecture on decorum from a party that incited an insurrection,” she stated, referencing the January 6 Capitol attack led by pro-Trump rioters.
Her remarks underscore the growing tension between the Democratic and Republican parties, particularly in the aftermath of the 2020 election and the ongoing culture wars surrounding LGBTQ+ rights. As McBride continues her term, she has become a target of Republican rhetoric, but her ability to rise above the personal attacks has made her a strong voice for both transgender rights and progressive policies in Congress.
