U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has supported a plan to ban transgender women from using women’s bathrooms on Capitol Hill. He believes that women should have their own spaces, like bathrooms and changing rooms, and wants this rule enforced in the Capitol and House office buildings.
This move comes after Representative Nancy Mace, a fellow Republican, introduced a bill to ban transgender women from using female-only bathrooms. Mace says this is about protecting women’s privacy and safety.
However, Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender lawmaker in the U.S., disagrees with the rule. McBride said she wasn’t elected to fight about bathrooms but to focus on the real issues, like reducing costs for families in Delaware. She said she would follow the new rules even though she doesn’t agree with them.
Other Democrats, like Senator John Fetterman, have strongly criticized the move, calling it degrading. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries also pointed out that instead of focusing on creating division, lawmakers should be working together for the good of the country.
The new bathroom rule will apply to all single-sex facilities in the Capitol, including restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms. Some unisex bathrooms are available in parts of the Capitol complex, and each House representative has their own private bathroom.
Mace, who introduced the bill, said her goal was to target McBride specifically, but she stressed that this is about protecting women’s privacy and safety. She added that she won’t allow “biological men” in women’s spaces.
Mace has also introduced another bill to expand the bathroom ban to all federal properties. This is a shift from her earlier position, where she supported LGBTQ rights, including gay marriage and anti-discrimination laws. Her office defended the new bills, saying that protecting women is not discrimination.
In recent years, many Republicans have focused on transgender-related issues, such as limiting access to gender-related surgeries for minors and banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. This focus has grown even more since Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, where he initially supported allowing transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice but later reversed his stance after facing backlash from Republicans.
Although polls show that many voters feel support for transgender rights has gone too far, the issue didn’t rank high on voters’ priority lists compared to concerns like the economy and immigration. Still, the debate over transgender rights continues to be a hot topic in U.S. politics.
