Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican representative from South Carolina, recently introduced a bill that aims to prohibit transgender individuals from using bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity within federal buildings.
Mace took to the social platform X to announce her latest action in the fight to protect women and girls. In a post, she revealed that she had filed a new bill designed to provide nationwide protection on all federal property. She even shared a copy of the bill alongside her announcement.
The purpose of the bill, as stated in its text, is to prevent individuals from using or accessing single-sex facilities on Federal property that do not align with their biological sex. It also serves other purposes.
The GOP is persisting with its push against transgender rights, a key element of President-elect Trump’s campaign against Vice President Harris, specifically through hard-hitting television attack ads.
Democrats have criticized Mace for her recent bill and other measures that specifically target Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.), who made history this month as the first transgender person to be elected to Congress.
Representative Becca Balint (D-Vt.) responded to Mace’s bill by questioning its effectiveness in addressing important issues such as lowering grocery costs, reducing drug prices, and building housing. In a post on X, Balint criticized the bill, suggesting that it was driven by a desire for attention rather than a genuine effort to improve the lives of constituents.
Mace’s bill could potentially clash with recent amendments made to Title IX, which provides safeguards against sex-based discrimination in schools and other federally funded programs. The updated rule explicitly forbids schools from implementing policies that outrightly bar transgender students from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
Earlier this week, Mace introduced a bill that seeks to prevent transgender women from using facilities on Capitol Hill that align with their gender identity.
According to Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), who chairs the Congressional Equality Caucus, a pro-LGBTQ caucus, the bill is simply a desperate ploy to gain attention from Trump and the media. Unfortunately, the ones suffering the consequences of this attention-seeking move are transgender individuals, including transgender employees.
On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) made an announcement regarding a new policy that prohibits transgender women from using Capitol bathrooms based on their gender identity.
According to Johnson, it is essential to recognize that all single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings, including restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms, are exclusively for individuals of the corresponding biological sex. He further mentioned that every Member office has its own private restroom, and there are also unisex restrooms conveniently located throughout the Capitol.
Later in the day, McBride released a statement expressing her commitment to abide by the rules, despite her personal disagreement with them.
“I’m not here to argue about bathrooms. My focus is on fighting for the people of Delaware and finding ways to reduce the financial burdens faced by families. Although I may have differing opinions, I will adhere to the guidelines set forth by Speaker Johnson. This is my commitment,” McBride stated in a message shared on X.
