Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.), who made history as the first openly trans person elected to Congress, had strong words for Republicans and their ongoing attacks on the trans community during an appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation.
McBride emphasized that the GOP’s focus on trans issues is not a genuine concern for the community but rather a deliberate distraction from more pressing matters. “Every single time—every single time we hear them say the word ‘trans,’ look at what they’re doing with their right hand,” McBride said, explaining that their actions don’t align with the concerns they claim to represent.
McBride’s comments come amid heightened scrutiny from Republicans like Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who has been outspoken in pushing a bill to ban trans women from using women’s bathrooms on Capitol Hill. Mace’s fixation on this issue has sparked backlash from critics, including her former aide, who accused Mace of using the bill as a political ploy to garner media attention, particularly from Fox News.
Mace took her campaign to Fox News, where she discussed her anti-trans agenda, with host Rachel Campos-Duffy misgendering McBride and controversially questioning the gender identity of Rachel Levine, a trans woman and the assistant secretary of health under President Biden. McBride responded to these attacks with poise, reiterating that the GOP’s focus on divisive issues like these distracts from their failure to address critical issues affecting everyday Americans.
During her Face the Nation interview, McBride was asked about some Democrats who had expressed concerns over trans youth in sports. She acknowledged the complexity of the conversation, noting that there are diverse views within her party on the issue. However, McBride stressed that all Democrats are united in their belief that every American deserves equal rights and that the GOP’s attacks on vulnerable communities are not only harmful but part of a broader strategy to misdirect attention from more pressing national concerns.
“We are still entering into a conversation around trans people in this country,” McBride said, underscoring the importance of respectful discourse. She added, “But we are all united that every single American deserves equal rights… every single time Republicans focus on attacking a vulnerable community, it’s an attempt to distract.”
McBride went on to point out the real costs of the GOP’s approach, urging Americans to recognize that while Republicans target the trans community, they are simultaneously advancing policies that harm workers and seniors. “Look at what they’re doing to pick the pocket of American workers, fleece seniors, privatize Medicare, and Social Security,” McBride said. “This is the real cost for the American worker every time they focus on these distractions.”
She concluded by reiterating that the recent wave of attacks on the trans community was a clear example of how lawmakers were diverting time and energy away from addressing the everyday concerns of their constituents, such as the rising cost of living.
McBride’s comments serve as a powerful reminder that the GOP’s focus on cultural issues, particularly around the trans community, may be masking deeper economic concerns that directly impact American families. For McBride, the battle for equality is deeply intertwined with the fight for the rights and dignity of all Americans.
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