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The GOP is doubling down on bigotry instead of addressing the concerns of the American people.
Transgender people are being targeted by Republicans who are feeling empowered by the results of the general election as they begin taking over Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana announced a policy banning transgender people from using bathrooms aligned with their gender identity in the U.S. Capitol and House Office Buildings.
The policy, announced in a statement from the speaker’s office, reserves all single-sex facilities in the Capitol complex—including restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms—strictly for individuals based on their gender assigned at birth.
“All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings—such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms—are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,” Johnson’s statement read. He noted that unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol complex and that each congressional office has a private restroom.
“Women deserve women’s only spaces,” Johnson concluded.
Related: Republicans are trying to ban transgender Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride from using the women's bathroom
The policy, which applies exclusively to areas under House jurisdiction, does not extend to Senate-controlled spaces within the Capitol, where Democrats remain in control until January. The new rule follows rising tensions among GOP members of Congress over the election of Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, a Democrat representing Delaware, who will be the first out transgender member of Congress when she is sworn in.
South Carolina Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace has acknowledged targeting McBride with measures designed to bar transgender people from gender-affirming facilities. Mace admitted her proposed resolution, which specifically aimed to prohibit transgender women from women’s restrooms in the Capitol, was “absolutely” in response to McBride’s election.
“I’m absolutely 100 percent going to stand in the way of any man who wants to be in a women’s restroom, in our locker rooms, in our changing rooms,” Mace told reporters, misgendering trans women in her comments.
The Advocate contacted McBride, who was unavailable to comment.
Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support.
Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support.
