Republican Representative Nancy Mace has responded to Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s accusation that she is “endangering women” with her transgender bathroom ban measure. Mace fired back, stating that she lives “rent-free” in Ocasio-Cortez’s head.
A bill proposed by Mace has sparked a heated debate on Capitol Hill. The bill aims to prohibit House members and staffers from using single-sex facilities that do not align with their biological sex.
The new measure includes bathrooms in the Capitol and House offices, with the responsibility of enforcing the ban falling on the House sergeant-at-arms.
This development comes in the wake of a significant milestone, as Sarah McBride was recently elected as the first transgender member of Congress. McBride will be representing Delaware’s at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives starting in January.
According to Mace, Sarah McBride should not have a say in the matter. He believes that if someone is a biological man, they should not be allowed to use women’s restrooms.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and House Speaker Mike Johnson have expressed their support for Mace’s bill. In a statement on Wednesday, Speaker Johnson emphasized that the Capitol and House office buildings should reserve all single-sex facilities, such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms, for individuals of their biological sex.
In response to the comments, Ocasio-Cortez criticized Mace and Johnson, expressing her concerns about the potential risks they pose to women and girls. She pointed out that when asked about their strategies for enforcing their stance, they are unable to provide a clear answer.
This kind of thinking ultimately leads to a dangerous situation where women and girls are at a higher risk of being assaulted. It promotes the idea of scrutinizing their private parts, trying to determine who is transgender and who is cisgender, and what they are doing.
Nancy Mace’s suggestion for little girls and women to expose themselves in front of an investigator is troubling. Who would this investigator be? It is appalling that she wants to point fingers and suspect individuals she believes are transgender. This kind of mindset is absolutely revolting.
According to her, the bill has only empowered these Republicans to intimidate women who don’t conform to their narrow definition of femininity.
Mace has been evasive when asked about the process of determining who is allowed to use female or male restrooms. When questioned by Manríquez, she simply stated, “Biological men shouldn’t be in women’s private spaces, period. End of story.” She emphasized the need to prioritize the safety and well-being of women and girls.
In response, the Republican congresswoman retaliated against Ocasio-Cortez, stating in an interview with Fox News, “I find it amusing how I seem to occupy so much space in AOC’s mind.”
She refuted the allegations that she poses a threat to women and emphasized that she has no intentions of promoting any actions that would require women and girls to expose themselves.
“I never made such a statement. Actually, what’s ironic is that she is a radical leftist, an insane clown,” she commented. Mace went on to disclose that she had experienced the trauma of being a rape survivor.
“I have personally experienced the trauma of sexual abuse, which has left me with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is both concerning and disturbing to think that it is considered acceptable for a naked man to be present in a women’s locker room. This notion seems completely twisted and dangerous to me, and it is imperative that we put an end to it.”
“I refuse to tolerate anyone, regardless of their gender, who endorses the kind of irrational ideology that AOC embraces. My objective is to stand tall and prevent any individual from endangering the lives of women and girls. I am determined to be a formidable force against such actions,” asserted Mace.
In addition, she called McBride a man and stated that she had contacted Capitol Police due to threats she received from the “radical left.”
“I have been in contact with the Capitol Police due to the numerous threats I have received from individuals associated with the radical left. These individuals, some of whom are men dressed as women, believe that I should be harmed or even killed simply because I advocate for women to have private spaces such as bathrooms, dressing rooms, and locker rooms.
I am determined to stand up against anyone, including Congressman-elect McBride, who intends to cause harm to women. I will not tolerate such behavior under any circumstances.”
Multiple studies and reviews have consistently debunked the unfounded claims suggesting that transgender individuals pose a higher risk to safety in bathrooms. On the contrary, these studies have shown that transgender people are more prone to becoming victims of violent crimes than those who are not.
Mace’s bill has faced considerable backlash. In response to Mace’s proposal, McBride issued a statement to Newsweek on Tuesday. “This is a clear effort by far right-wing extremists to divert attention away from the fact that they lack genuine solutions to the challenges that Americans are currently confronting,” she expressed.
“We need to prioritize lowering the expenses of housing, health care, and child care, rather than getting caught up in divisive cultural battles. The people of Delaware have entrusted me with the responsibility of making the American dream more affordable and accessible, and that is my primary focus,” she emphasized.
In a recent post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she expressed her focus on advocating for the people of Delaware and addressing the financial burdens faced by families. She emphasized that her aim was not to engage in debates about bathrooms, but rather to prioritize the well-being and affordability of Delawareans.
In addition, she mentioned her commitment to following Johnson’s rules, stating that she would adhere to them even if she had personal disagreements.
Mace’s bill has faced criticism from a former aide, Natalie Johnson. In a statement, Johnson expressed doubts about the true intentions behind the bill, suggesting that it may be more of a strategy to gain attention on Fox News. She wrote, “If you believe that this bill is genuinely aimed at protecting women, you may have been misled.”
According to Axios, Vermont Representative Becca Balint, a co-chair of the Equality Caucus, expressed her view on the matter, stating, “The point here is the cruelty. Do we really want the sergeant-at-arms occupied with such matters while we experienced a shocking attack on the Capitol?”
Representative Katherine Clark of Massachusetts emphasized the triviality of the discussion on day one, referring to the attention paid to the bathroom usage of a single member out of 435. She highlighted the misplaced focus of such a topic.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman expressed his endorsement of McBride in a heartfelt post on X, stating, “I am not afraid to lose any job that would require me to belittle someone. If this is a deciding factor for a voter, then they should consider another candidate. In my office, we have a restroom that is open to anyone, including Representative-elect Sarah McBride.”
Even Republicans have shown support for Mace. Greene expressed her support for the measure and consistently referred to McBride as “a man” and “he” during an interview with Manríquez.
In a video shared on X, she expressed her endorsement for a resolution that aims to prevent biological men from accessing women’s bathrooms, locker rooms, and private spaces. She emphasized the importance of implementing this resolution not only within the Capitol complex and office buildings but also in all taxpayer-funded facilities.
The next day, she expressed her opinion that Mace’s proposal “falls short of expectations.” “A resolution is simply a statement made by Congress expressing their disagreement with something, but what we really need is something more impactful and binding,” stated Greene during a discussion on Tuesday.
Mace is making efforts to have the bill included in the rules for the 119th Congress or to have it voted on separately. She has expressed her determination, stating that if the bill fails to pass this year, she will reintroduce it in the next congressional session.
