House hearing on addressing transgender member of Congress ends with bitter exchange

|
A congressional hearing ended abruptly and in a tense atmosphere Tuesday when a standoff over the identity of the first openly transgender member of Congress erupted.

"Republican Keith Self", a Texas senator and chairman of the "House Foreign Relations Subcommittee", sparked the controversy when he addressed "Representative Sarah McBride" (a Democrat from Delaware) as “Mr. McBride.”

McBride, who was elected in November, addressed Self as “Madam Chairperson” before beginning her speech.

A heated exchange of words over the matter led to the hearing being ended. "Representative Bill Keating" (of Massachusetts) asked the Chairperson to speak again. Self then addressed McBride as “Mr..”

Keating angrily said: "Have you no decency?" He added: "I know you to some extent, but this behavior is in no way appropriate."

Keating made it clear that he would not continue the hearing until the Chairperson addressed McBride by her preferred pronoun.

The Chairperson then declared the session adjourned. He later posted on "X (formerly Twitter)": "It is the policy of the United States to recognize only two genders, male and female."

The incident is the latest in a series of incidents involving McBride, where she has faced harsh language and behavior from Republican members. She has also been barred from using the women's bathroom in the House, made possible by a bill introduced by "South Carolina" Representative "Nancy Mace" that would allow only "biological women" to use the women's bathroom. "Johnston" also changed House rules to make women's bathrooms "biologically female."

Nancy Mays" wrote on X after the altercation: "He's a man. Hearing over."

Similarly, "Representative Mary Miller (R-Ill.)", who also called McBride a "Gentleman from Delaware" on the House floor last month, shared an old photo of McBride on "X" Tuesday and wrote: "He is and always will be a biological man."

McBride later expressed regret that the chairperson ended the hearing early.

She told "Politico" in a statement:

"I was prepared for questions about nuclear nonproliferation and U.S.-backed Democratic allies in Europe."

McBride has previously called Republican behavior an attempt to distract from important public issues like housing, healthcare, and child care, and she repeated that point Tuesday:

"The extremists in the House want the public to ignore that they voted to cut funding for farmers today."

McBride posted late at night on X

"Now that you have my attention... listen, our economy is being destroyed by Trump's tariffs."