McBride, the first openly transgender state senator in the country, addressed the exchange in a statement, saying, “I appear to live rent-free in the minds of some of my Republican colleagues. I wish that they would spend even a fraction of the time that they spend thinking about me, thinking about how to lower the costs on American families, figuring out how to actually make government work better. … The Republican Party is obsessed with culture war iss
The comment came after Rep. Self, during a hearing, referred to McBride using male pronouns.
The moment quickly gained traction online, with supporters arguing Self was simply acknowledging biological reality, while McBride and others criticized it as an attack on transgender individuals.
McBride, elected to the Delaware State Senate in 2020 and currently serving in Congress, has been vocal on issues related to LGBTQ rights.
The latest remarks highlight ongoing tensions between Democrats and Republicans over gender identity policies, pronoun usage, and legislative priorities.
Republicans have frequently challenged policies that they argue force Americans to adhere to gender ideology they do not agree with, particularly in government, schools, and workplaces
The exchange between McBride and Self is one of many recent clashes in Congress over cultural issues.
While McBride has pushed back against Republican criticism, GOP lawmakers continue to challenge the enforcement of gender identity policies in public settings.
