South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace Introduces Cruel Resolution Banning Transgender Women From Women’s Restrooms on Capitol Hill
In the same year South Carolina state lawmakers banned trans youth and some adults from accessing critical healthcare, Rep. Mace is doubling down on hate and bringing her extreme anti-trans agenda to our nation’s capital.
Yesterday, Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina’s first district announced that she would introduce a resolution blocking transgender women from accessing women’s restrooms in Congress. Rep. Mace made clear that she was putting forth this bill simply because Sarah McBride, the newly-elected representative from Delaware, would soon become the first out transgender member of Congress.
Chase Glenn (he/him pronouns), Executive Director of Alliance for Full Acceptance and a leader for SC United for Justice & Equality, issued a statement slamming the cruel and senseless proposal:
“In her first action on Capitol Hill since the election, Nancy Mace’s introduction of a harmful policy singling out transgender people makes it crystal-clear where her priorities lie – not in the real issues facing South Carolina families, but in scoring cheap political points and making national news headlines on the backs of transgender people. This resolution does nothing to address the pressing concerns of our nation. Instead, it seeks to politicize and dehumanize trans people for political gain.”
Kelli R. Parker (she/her pronouns), Director of Communications and Marketing for the Women’s Rights & Empowerment Network, added:
“Rep. Mace’s extreme proposal echoes the wave of harmful anti-trans legislation we’ve seen across South Carolina and beyond, aiming to erase transgender people from public spaces. The timing of this proposal, coinciding with the historic arrival of the first openly transgender member of Congress, reveals its true intent. This is about denying the dignity and humanity of the trans community. Women don’t need to be “protected” from transgender women — we need safe, inclusive spaces for all women.”
There are a lot of urgent, pressing issues facing the 119th Congress and unfounded scare tactics around bathrooms aren’t among them. This bill is a mean-spirited solution in search of a problem. Transgender people care about privacy and safety like everyone else, and there is zero evidence that ensuring transgender people can access restrooms poses a threat to public safety on Capitol Hill, in South Carolina, or anywhere else across the country.
Advocates from the SC United for Justice & Equality coalition are available to speak with the media about the legislation and its damaging impact on transgender people across America.
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SC United for Justice and Equality envisions a South Carolina where everyone can thrive, with a focus on the lived and legal equality of LGBTQ people. The coalition advocates for the passage of legislation to protect LGBTQ community members and opposes anti-LGBTQ legislation. The coalition also works on intersecting issues of social justice, including racial justice, reproductive justice, voting rights, and health care access. www.southcarolinaunited.org