And, the misgendering of Democratic Representative Sarah McBride continues, this time at a committee hearing on March 11, when a Texas Republican referred to the congresswoman as “Mister”, while introducing her to the panel before she even got a chance to speak. But while McBride has previously chosen to ignore these insults, this time she decided to respond.
Per the New York Times, after Representative Keith Self—chairman of the Europe Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs panel—pointedly introduced McBride as “Mr. McBride” at the committee hearing, McBride responded drily, “Thank you, Madam Chair.”
Then, McBride’s Democratic colleague Representative William Keating refused to allow the hearing to continue until Self addressed McBride appropriately, which Self refused to do. “Mr. Chairman, you are out of order,” Keating said. “Mr. Chairman, have you no decency? I mean, I’ve come to know you a little bit. But this is not decent.” When Self tried to continue the hearing, Keating persisted, “You will not continue it with me unless you introduce a duly elected representative the right way.” So, rather than simply addressing McBride with respect, Self adjourned the hearing.
McBride is the first openly trans person ever elected to congress, but she was elected during an era in which trans rights are being actively attacked by the Republican party. So, unfortunately, but perhaps inevitably, she’s being treated with unprecedented levels of disrespect by her colleagues across the aisle.
It must be noted that this is far from the first time Sarah McBride has been misgendered by one of her fellow representatives in congress. Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois introduced her as the “gentleman from Delaware” in February, for example. Meanwhile, Republican representative Nancy Mace, who has intentionally misgendered McBride on several occasions, has made being anti-trans one of her personal pet issues as of late, going so far as to repeatedly shout an anti-trans slur on the House floor as well as banning McBride from using the women’s restrooms in the Capitol.
