In a bold move that underscores the GOP’s stance on cultural issues, Speaker Mike Johnson ruled that Sarah McBride, the incoming and first openly transgender member of Congress, will be required to use restrooms aligned with biological sex.
As reported by The Daily Mail, [1] this decision comes amid heated debates led by conservative Republicans such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who have vocally opposed McBride’s use of women-only spaces.
McBride, elected in Delaware with 58% of the vote, will be sworn in come January, marking a historic first for Congress. However, that milestone has quickly become a flashpoint for ideological battles. Speaker Johnson clarified his position, 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.”
He also noted that private and unisex restrooms are available throughout Capitol buildings, ensuring accommodations are accessible without altering gender-based facility policies.
Greene didn’t mince words, labeling McBride as “mentally ill” and emphasizing:
“He’s a biological male, so he is not allowed to use women’s restrooms, locker rooms, or spaces reserved for women.”
Mace, a survivor of sexual assault, passionately defended her stance, introducing a resolution to formally ban transgender individuals from accessing facilities inconsistent with their biological sex. She remarked:
“I’m standing up for women. If being a feminist makes me an extremist, I’m here for it.”
Her advocacy has not come without personal cost, as Mace revealed she’s received death threats [2] over her position. Yet she remains undeterred, stating:
“I won’t shut up. Critics can call me names, make threats—I don’t care. I’m not stopping.”
We’re not going to shut up just because someone is trying to hurt our feelings. Call me names, make death threats, I don’t care. I’m not stopping. https://t.co/ea07QLDDGe [3]
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) November 20, 2024 [4]
The controversy is emblematic of broader cultural battles championed by former President Donald Trump, who has pledged to end taxpayer-funded gender transition treatments, ban transgender individuals from the military, and protect women’s sports from biological males.
With transgender adults representing less than 2% of the U.S. population, Republicans argue these measures protect women’s rights and preserve fairness.
Mace’s resolution has drawn support from Speaker Johnson, who promised behind closed doors to include her provision in the House rules package. However, enforcement details remain unclear.
McBride, meanwhile, has remained focused on her upcoming term, downplaying the restroom debate in her response:
“Like all members, I will follow the rules as outlined by Speaker Johnson, even if I disagree with them.”
She criticized what she described as right-wing attempts to “manufacture culture wars [5],” adding that her priorities remain tackling issues such as affordable housing, healthcare, and childcare.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries decried the GOP’s focus, accusing Republicans of “bullying” McBride rather than addressing real issues. Jeffries quipped:
“This is your priority? Bullying a member of Congress instead of delivering results for the American people?”
Here’s my women’s bathroom proposal:
Instead of making a trans bathroom, we should make a Republican women’s bathroom and a Democrat women’s bathroom, so all the Democrat women who agree with men using the women’s bathroom can share their bathroom with the mentally ill trans…
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) November 20, 2024 [6]
Mace isn’t stopping there. She just filed a nationwide bill to ban men from women’s restrooms on federal properties. Despite threats from the left, she’s doubling down and standing strong for women’s rights.
#BREAKING [7]: Rep. Nancy Mace just DOUBLED DOWN and filed a bill banning men from women’s restrooms at ALL federal properties across the country
Looks like all the hate and dėath threats she’s receiving is backfiring on the libs
We’ve got your back, @NancyMace [8]. KEEP… pic.twitter.com/4lc80VJkV5 [9]
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 20, 2024 [10]
As Republicans prepare for the 2024 election cycle, this restroom controversy underscores the party’s emphasis on cultural battles, with figures like Greene, Mace, and Trump framing the debate as a fight [11] to protect women’s rights and restore common-sense policies in Washington.