1st U.S. trans congresswoman will face bathroom restrictions in House

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said connected Wednesday that each single-sex facilities connected the House broadside of the U.S. Capitol gathering would beryllium reserved for “individuals of that biologic sex,” weeks aft the predetermination of the first transgender subordinate of Congress.

The argumentation would use to the House broadside of the Capitol building, arsenic the Senate has jurisdiction implicit its broadside of the complex.

The contented became a flashpoint aft Republican Representative Nancy Mace filed a solution to enforce that requirement, which targeted U.S. Representative-elect Sarah McBride.

“Women merit women’s lone spaces,” Johnson said successful a statement. He said members could use bathrooms successful their backstage offices, which tin beryllium a 10-minute locomotion from the House level wherever voting and statement instrumentality place, oregon unisex bathrooms successful the Capitol.

McBride, a 34-year-old Delaware lawmaker-elect, said she would comply with Johnson’s bid but called it a distraction from much substantive issues.

“I’m not present to combat about bathrooms. I’m present to combat for each Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families,” she said successful a statement.

Many House offices are a 10-minute locomotion from the House level wherever voting and statement instrumentality place.

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Democrats instantly decried the effort connected Tuesday. Top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries called the measure “bullying,” and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer described it arsenic “mean and cruel.”

McBride focused her palmy predetermination run connected economical issues, including protections for unions and affordable healthcare and childcare.

Transgender rights person go a governmental rallying outcry for right-wing politicians successful the U.S. Lawmakers successful 37 states introduced astatine slightest 142 bills to restrict gender-affirming healthcare for transgender and gender-expansive radical successful 2023, Reuters reported, astir 3 times arsenic galore arsenic the erstwhile year.

—Reporting by Moira Warburton, further reporting by Andy Sullivan and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Scott Malone, Bill Berkrot and Jonathan Oatis