Sarah McBride

Sarah McBride (D-DE) is a U.S. Representative from Delaware and, upon her election in November 2024, became the first openly transgender person elected to the United States Congress.

What Happened

November 18, 2024 — Mace introduces H. Res. 1579. Two days after McBride's election results became final, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced H. Res. 1579 in the 118th Congress, titled "Prohibiting Members, officers, and employees of the House from using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex." The two-page resolution would have required all House members, officers, and staff to use bathrooms matching their sex assigned at birth in Capitol facilities. When asked by reporters whether the resolution was a direct response to McBride's election, Mace said, "Yes, and absolutely. And then some." (ABC News; NBC News)

Speaker Johnson issues a separate policy. Speaker Mike Johnson did not bring H. Res. 1579 to a vote before the end of the 118th Congress. He initially told reporters, "We welcome all new members with open arms who are duly elected representatives of the people," while also stating, "A man is a man, and a woman is a woman, and a man cannot become a woman." Johnson then issued a separate policy statement, invoking his authority under House rules, declaring: "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." (ABC News; Wikipedia)

McBride's response. McBride issued a public statement characterizing the resolution as "a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing," adding, "We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars." In a separate post on X, McBride wrote, "I'm not here to fight about bathrooms. I'm here to fight for all Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families." On Johnson's policy, McBride stated, "Like all members, I will follow the rules as outlined by Speaker Johnson, even if I disagree with them." (NPR; Washington Post)

December 5, 2024 — Protest and arrests. Approximately fifteen people, including activist Chelsea Manning and Raquel Willis, were arrested by Capitol Police while protesting the bathroom ban policy. Mace subsequently posted on X, "The trannies came, they saw and they did not conquer," a post that X labeled as potential hateful conduct. (Wikipedia)

January 3, 2025 — 119th Congress adopts the policy. When the 119th Congress convened, Mace's resolution was initially absent from the formal House rules package, drawing attention. Speaker Johnson ultimately issued the bathroom restriction as a Speaker's policy appearing in the Congressional Record on January 3, 2025, stating: "In all areas of the Capitol subject to the Speaker's general control under clause 3 of rule I, all single-sex facilities — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex." Enforcement was assigned to House Sergeant at Arms Jennifer Hemingway. (LGBTQ Nation; Yahoo News)

January 7–10, 2025 — Mace speaks in McBride's district. Mace traveled to Newark, Delaware — McBride's home district — to headline a Delaware GOP dinner, speaking on bathroom bans and gender policy. At a pre-dinner press conference, Mace acknowledged the trip was aimed partly at McBride: "And yes, because it's in Sarah McBride's backyard, it's just icing on the cake." A small group of protesters gathered outside the venue. Mace stated she had not interacted with McBride and had no intention to do so. (Delaware Public Media; Axios)

February 5, 2025 — House Oversight Committee hearing. During a House Oversight Committee hearing on USAID funding for gender-affirming health care in Guatemala, Mace used a transphobic slur. When Democratic Ranking Member Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) noted the language was offensive, Mace repeated the term three times, stating, "I don't really care." Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said he would "look into" whether the term was offensive. (MS.NOW/NBC News)

March 11, 2025 — Separate misgendering incident (Keith Self). In a distinct but related episode, Rep. Keith Self (R-TX), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, introduced McBride as "Mr. McBride" at a subcommittee hearing. When Ranking Member Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA) demanded a correction, Self refused and adjourned the hearing rather than proceed. McBride responded with, "Thank you, Madame Chair," and later expressed disappointment that the early adjournment had prevented her from questioning witnesses on nuclear nonproliferation. Mace was not directly involved in this specific incident. (ABC News; Washington Blade)

MACEOPEDIA

What Happened

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