Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.), who made history as the first transgender person elected to Congress, criticized the House Republicans’ bathroom ban, calling it an effort to divert attention from their real agenda.
Speaking on CBS News’s Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, McBride argued that when Republicans or the incoming administration target vulnerable groups, their actions are designed to distract the public from their actual policies.
McBride emphasizes unity within the Democratic Party despite differing views
She emphasized that these distractions are intentional, saying, “Every time we hear them mention ‘trans,’ we need to focus on what they’re doing with their right hand,” suggesting the real motives behind the rhetoric.
Earlier this week, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) proposed a bill restricting transgender individuals’ access to Capitol Hill facilities that align with their gender identity. This was followed by House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) announcement of a policy barring transgender people from using bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity in the Capitol.
Johnson defended the new policy, stating, “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,” and pointed out that private restrooms are available in each member’s office, along with unisex restrooms throughout the Capitol.
In response, McBride shared that she has already engaged in discussions with Democratic colleagues, acknowledging diverse perspectives on how the party should address various issues.
Despite these differences, she stressed a shared commitment to equality, stating that “every single American deserves equal rights” and condemning attacks on vulnerable communities as both “mean-spirited” and a deliberate attempt to misdirect attention.
