House GOP Proposes Bathroom Ban Targeting Transgender Lawmaker Sarah McBride

Republican lawmakers push restrictive bathroom policies on Capitol Hill, prompting backlash from Democrats and LGBTQ+ advocates.

House Republicans, led by Rep. Nancy Mace and Speaker Mike Johnson, introduced measures to restrict Capitol Hill bathrooms to 'biological sex,' explicitly targeting Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress.
The proposed rules, announced on Transgender Day of Remembrance, would apply to all single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House office buildings, with enforcement details remaining unclear.
Democratic leaders, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Mark Pocan, have condemned the policies as discriminatory and dangerous, arguing they could lead to harassment and abuse of both transgender and cisgender individuals.
McBride stated she would comply with the rules but emphasized her focus on broader legislative priorities, a stance that has drawn criticism from some transgender advocates who view her response as insufficiently confrontational.
The bathroom ban aligns with a broader surge in anti-trans legislation across the U.S., with 652 such bills introduced in 2024, marking a record-breaking year for measures targeting LGBTQ+ rights.