A House subcommittee hearing abruptly ended on Tuesday after a Republican lawmaker was confronted over misgendering Rep. Sarah McBride, a Democrat from Delaware and the first openly transgender member of Congress. McBride, a transgender woman, had been the subject of attacks from Republicans since starting her term in January. She was previously misgendered by other members, including Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. The exchange on Tuesday occurred during a hearing by the Europe Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs on arms control and international security. Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas., the chairman of the subcommittee, recognized McBride to speak and addressed her as “Mr. McBride.”
Democratic Masschusetts Rep. Bill Keating had a meltdown on Tuesday, during a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing, after the subcommittee's chairman called transgender Delaware Rep. Sarah McBride "mister." The exchange occurred during a hearing on arms control and U.S. assistance to Europe. The committee's chairman Keith Self cited a Trump administration order that only recognizes and identifies two genders, which is the person's biological gender. Self, a Texas Republican, introduced McBride, who was the first transgender lawmaker elected to Congress, as "the representative from Delaware, Mister McBride." "Thank you madam chair," McBride swiftly responded. McBride was then interrupted by Keating, who asked Self to repeat the introduction, who again referred to McBride as "mister."
A House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee hearing was abruptly halted Tuesday when the ranking Democrat member had a tantrum in objecting to the Republican chair referring to Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., the first openly transgender member of Congress, as "Mr. McBride." Controversy has surrounded McBride, a male who identifies as female, since she was elected in November to represent Delaware's at-large congressional district. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., spearheaded efforts to ban transgender women and men from single-sex facilities on federal property.
