Opinion: Republican Bathroom Panic Over McBride Shows It Was Never About Sports Or Kids

Republicans are in a frenzy over trans Congresswoman Sarah McBride, following a debate among Democrats about compromising on trans rights. Today’s events make clear the folly of such a decision.

In a move as predictable as it is outrageous, Republicans have launched a full-blown crusade against the first transgender congresswoman, Sarah McBride. Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) has introduced a resolution to ban McBride from using women’s bathrooms and locker rooms—a measure that seems to enjoy significant support within the Republican caucus. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has hinted at so-called “accommodations” that would effectively segregate McBride from public facilities entirely. This uproar comes as some Democrats and pundits toy with the idea of compromising on transgender rights, particularly in areas like sports. Today’s events lay bare the folly of such a strategy: there can be no middle ground with those intent on erasing transgender Americans from public life.

News broke late Monday night that Rep. Nancy Mace intended to introduce a resolution barring transgender people from using bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identity on congressional property. By Tuesday morning, Punchbowl News senior reporter Melanie Zanona confirmed that Speaker Mike Johnson would “not allow biological men in women’s bathrooms,” adding that the proposal would be included in the House rules package. Since the announcement, the Republican Party has erupted into a full-blown panic over the relatively non-controversial, mainline Democratic Congresswoman Sarah McBride.

When asked about the resolution, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene responded bluntly, “[She’s] a man. [She’s] a biological male. [She’s] not allowed to use our women’s restroom, women’s gym… [She] can go in the men’s room,” later adding that the American people are “sick of this shit.” Rep. Nancy Mace echoed similar sentiments, stating, “Sarah McBride does not get a say.” She then went on to insinuate that McBride might abuse or sexually assault women. The Republican House Judiciary account then tweeted in support of the resolution, asking, “How is this controversial?” Speaker Mike Johnson, when pressed about the potential rule, stated that they would “make accommodations”—a term often used as code for forcing transgender people to segregate into “gender-neutral” restrooms, frequently located farther from offices and workspaces.

You can watch Greene and Taylor’s responses to being asked about the resolution here, courtesy of Congressional reporter Pablo Manríquez as well as NewsMax:

The reaction to Rep. McBride makes one thing crystal clear to Democrats and pundits alike: the Republican Party’s debate over transgender Americans was never about sports or prison inmates. Time and again, when given an inch, they take everything. That they’ve already pivoted to bathrooms before Congress has even convened should speak volumes—and the fact that the first transgender person they’ve targeted nationally is a mild-mannered Democratic congresswoman representing a million Delawareans speaks even louder. If Rep. McBride—a woman who championed and passed paid family leave for mothers on the brink of poverty—is deemed “unsafe for women,” then what transgender person could ever be considered safe? The absurdity of it is almost too staggering to believe.

The truth is, the far right cannot resist targeting transgender people when they dare to step into positions of power. The mere presence of a transgender person as an equal is almost too much for them to bear, driving them to indulge their cruelest impulses. This was evident when Republicans targeted Representative Zooey Zephyr in Montana, silencing her and banning her from the House floor after she spoke out against anti-transgender policies. That decision backfired spectacularly: people across the nation and around the world rallied around Zephyr, outraged at the extreme lengths Republicans went to in order to exclude a transgender person from their ranks. Montana House Democrats went on to gain 10 seats in the State House—their largest gain in 30 years.

Democrats have a golden chance to reframe the narrative on transgender rights. Republican rhetoric on sports and prisoners was never about fairness—it was a disingenuous attempt to normalize discrimination. Some Democrats and pundits fell for it, but Republicans, led by the far right, are now overplaying their hand, targeting Sarah McBride and revealing the depths of their hate for transgender Americans. Just as GOP overreach in Montana backfired by rallying support for Zooey Zephyr, their attacks on McBride will likely do the same. Democrats must seize this moment to stand firm, contrasting their focus on jobs, infrastructure, and middle-class support with a Republican Party consumed by cruelty that does nothing to improve people’s lives.

Sarah McBride has apparently gotten the memo. Hours after reports came out of Republicans intent to target her in bathrooms, she responded, “This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing. We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars. Delawareans sent me here to make the American dream more affordable and accessible and that’s what I’m focused on.” Then, the next morning, she drove to Delaware to stand with firemen, celebrating 100 years of service in the state.

Republicans won’t stop with McBride, nor with sports bans, national bathroom laws, or attacks on transgender teens. Their goal isn’t compromise, and no amount of capitulation will stop the barrage of ads or the relentless assault on transgender Americans. Hate cannot be defeated through fear or focus groups or backroom deals—it demands courage. It requires people willing to rise to the moment and show their humanity to anyone willing to see it. Democrats now face one of those moments. McBride will soon have no choice but to rise and meet it. Whether Democrats stand with her will define not only their future but the future of transgender people across this country.

Disclosure: The author of this piece is happily engaged to be married to Representative Zooey Zephyr.