Ruthless Republican addresses transgender congresswoman Sarah McBride as ‘the gentleman’ in awkward floor session
Republican Congresswoman Mary Miller said she ‘refused to deny biological reality’ by addressing Sarah McBride as ‘the gentleman from Delaware’ on the floor of the House Thursday.
McBride is the first transgender member of Congress, winning Delaware’s at-large seat in November.
Republicans have successfully sought to block her access to the women’s restroom at the Capitol.
Miller, an Illinois representative, gave the introduction as McBride was set to give her first speech on the House floor.
‘The chair recognizes the gentleman from Delaware, Mr. McBride, for five minutes,’ Miller said.
McBride made no retort to Miller’s words, merely saying ‘thank you, Madam Speaker’ and going on with her prepared remarks.
A fellow Democrat, Nanette Barragán of California, did attempt to deliver some form of retribution later on.
Barragán was next to talk on the floor after McBride and when Miller yielded, she said: ‘Thank you, Mr. Speaker.’
Republican Congresswoman Mary Miller said she ‘refused to deny biological reality’ by addressing Sarah McBride as ‘the gentleman from Delaware’ on the floor of the House Thursday
McBride is the first transgender member of Congress, winning Delaware’s at-large seat in November
Miller addressed the moment on social media later Thursday.
‘Today on the House Floor, I refused to deny biological reality,’ she wrote.
‘President Trump restored biological truth in the Federal Government, and I refuse to perpetuate the lie that gender is open to our interpretation. It is not.’
On her own X account, McBride again made no reference to Miller’s introduction and instead focused on the content of the speech.
‘I shared the fears from Delawareans across our state who worried for their jobs and the care and services they rely on because of this administration’s unconstitutional efforts to abuse power and cut and gut lifesaving programs,’ McBride wrote.
Barragán has yet to publicly comment on her own remarks.
McBride became the first openly transgender lawmaker ever elected to the US Congress, but her place in the chamber quickly drew the ire of some conservatives after she was sworn in in January.
Mace has repeatedly referred to McBride as ‘a man’, with fellow Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene going further by describing her as a predator and accusing her of being ‘mentally ill.’
A fellow Democrat, Nanette Barragán of California, did attempt to deliver some form of retribution later on. Barragán was next to talk on the floor after McBride and when Miller yielded, she said: ‘Thank you, Mr. Speaker’
McBride is banned from using the women’s bathroom due to a rule set in place by Speaker Mike Johnson barring transgender people from using single-sex bathrooms.
Despite being told she had to use the men’s bathroom in the Capitol, McBride said she was not fazed by the move.
She said while she disagrees with Johnson’s rule barring her from the women’s bathroom, she is committed to following the rule and has no intention of breaking it.
‘This effort to distract from the real issues facing this country hasn’t distracted me over the last several days, as I’ve remained hard at work preparing to represent the greatest state in the union come January,’ she said at the time.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was among those who came out in support of McBride, saying at the time: ‘There’s no job I’m afraid to lose if it requires me to degrade anyone.
‘If that’s a defining issue for a voter, there will be a different candidate. We have a bathroom in my office that anybody is welcome to use, including Representative-elect Sarah McBride.’
