This week, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) introduced a bill to prohibit biological men who “identify” as women from using women’s restrooms at the U.S. Capitol. The legislation comes in response to the election of Tim “Sarah” McBride, a transgender-identifying man, to the House of Representatives. McBride’s arrival in Congress will bring this contentious issue directly into the heart of American policymaking, as debates over transgender issues will now directly impact members of Congress.
And it's a fight that Republicans must not back down from.
“Sarah McBride doesn’t get a say. I mean, this is a biological man," Mace told reporters on Monday, pointing out that McBride “does not belong in women’s spaces, women’s bathrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, period, full stop.”
McBride, however, is blasting the effort. "This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing," the congressman-elect said in a post on X. "We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars."
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This isn’t just a culture war issue — it’s arguably one of the most significant social challenges of our time. Transgender ideology has emerged rapidly and pushed into the mainstream at an unprecedented pace. While it may seem nearly impossible to reverse course once Pandora’s Box has been opened, this debate is heading straight to Congress. Republicans must rise to the occasion and confront this issue head-on.
So what going to happen with Mace's bill? It's hard to say. When asked about whether it would be introduced, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) didn't exactly give a straight answer.
"I'm not going to address the plans on any of that," Johnson explained. "I just told you what I'm going to say about the issue. I'm not going to engage in this. We don't look down upon anyone. We treat everybody with dignity and respect. That's a principle that I've pursued my whole life. And we will take care of this, you know, issue – a first impression for Congress – as we will any other thing. We will provide the appropriate accommodation for every member of Congress."
My guess is that Johnson hopes to resolve this without legislation. That said, he wholeheartedly endorsed the fact that men cannot become women or vice-versa.
“Let me be unequivocally clear,” he said Tuesday. “A man is a man and a woman is a woman. And a man cannot become a woman.”
SPEAKER JOHNSON: "Let me be unequivocally clear. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. And a man cannot become a woman." pic.twitter.com/jkSobuonXb
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 19, 2024
While treating others with dignity is important, the privacy and dignity of women — biological women — must take precedence over indulging men who claim to be women and expect society to play along. Mace, herself a sexual assault survivor, has every right—as do all women in the Capitol, from congresswomen to staffers—to feel safe and comfortable in Capitol bathrooms. Their rights should not be sacrificed to cater to McBride’s delusion that he is a woman, rather than a man struggling with a mental health issue.
If we are to show respect to McBride, it begins with honesty: acknowledging him as a man and treating him accordingly. Should Speaker Johnson refuse to advance Mace’s legislation, the House should replace him with a leader who will prioritize protecting women’s rights, dignity, and safety in the Capitol and then the entire country.
It's a fight worth having, and Republicans better not fold.
