Protecting Women's Private Spaces Act

On November 18, 2024, Nancy Mace introduced an anti-transgender bathroom bill in the US House of Representatives to ban newly elected member Sarah McBride from using bathrooms other than those of her sex assigned at birth. Two days later, US House speaker Mike Johnson declared that Mace's ban was being ushered in.

Mace stated her intent for the bill to act as a litmus test for male Republican politicians.

Bathroom ban in the Capitol

On November 18, 2024, Mace introduced a resolution to ban transgender people from using bathrooms other than those of their sex assigned at birth at the U.S. Capitol, in anticipation of the swearing in of Sarah McBride, who is the first trans person elected to Congress. Mace misgendered McBride in several repeated transphobic statements. She confirmed that McBride was "absolutely" the target of her bathroom resolution. Talking to Leland Vittert, Mace announced that she will "fight like hell" to exclude McBride from women's restrooms on the Capitol. Mace's 2024 House resolution would prevent McBride from using "single-sex facilities". H. Res. 1579 was entitled, "Prohibiting Members, officers, and employees of the House from using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex, and for other purposes." Mary Miller and Matt Rosendale co-sponsored her bathroom resolution. Mace also said, "Men that want to use women’s restrooms are threatening to kill me over this issue," Mace told NewsNation.

Mike Johnson's bathroom ban extends to trans and non-binary staff members, interns or even visitors from the public.

Critics of the ban and its Republican supporters accused them of hypocrisy since Donald Trump and some potential members of his administration have been accused of sexual assault. Additionally, critics have decried that transphobia has become a central GOP policy. Jen Psaki has urged Democrats to confront bigotry head-on.

Trans-rights activist Sarah Wade has criticized Representative-elect Sarah McBride for her acquiescence to use follow the rules of the house, arguing that it ignores the dignity and safety of gender minorities.

Protests

Demonstrators protested the Capitol bathroom ban that requires birth-based bathroom usage on December 5, 2024. Capitol Police arrested 15 people protesters including Chelsea Manning and Raquel Willis. Manning went on to say, "“I’m here today because every person deserves dignity and respect, both in daily life and in more symbolic places like the U.S. Capitol." The protesters chanted, "Democrats, grow a spine!" Willis noted, "In the 2024 election, trans folks were left to fend for ourselves after nearly $200 million of attack ads were disseminated across the United States."

In mocking the protesters with a transphobic slur, Nancy Mace posted on X, "The trannies came, they saw and they did not conquer during their protest," which has been labeled as "hateful conduct" by the X staff despite Musk's personal expression of support for Mace's efforts. Mace also yelled slurs at the protestors with a bullhorn.

Expanded women-only spaces

Congress	Short title	Long title	Bill number(s)	Date introduced	Sponsor	# of co-sponsors	Latest status
118th Congress (2023-2024)	Protecting Women's Private Spaces Act	To prohibit individuals from accessing or using single-sex facilities on Federal property other than those corresponding to their biological sex, and for other purposes.	H.R.10186	November 20, 2024	Nancy Mace	5	House - Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

One day after the bathroom bill, Marjorie Taylor Greene expressed her chagrin that Mace's bill did not go far enough. Greene misgendered McBride and told reporter Pablo Manríquez, "I support a resolution that keeps all biological men out of women's bathrooms, locker rooms, and private places. Not only here in the Capitol complex, our office buildings, but all taxpayer-funded facilities." Two days later, Mace announced a new expanded House resolution to ban "Biological Men from Women's Spaces on All Federal Property." The broader bill was "H.R.10186 - To prohibit individuals from accessing or using single-sex facilities on Federal property other than those corresponding to their biological sex, and for other purposes." Michael Rulli and Marjorie Taylor Greene announced their support with co-sponsorship.

In other interviews, Mace belittled and misgendered McBride repeatedly, saying, "...I'm not into pronouns. I don't care... I'm not going to play into this gender ideology."

Reactions

Opposition to resolution and bill

The chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus Mark Pocan has criticized the House Speaker's bathroom ban. Becca Balint, co-chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, stated, "This incredibly craven and cruel attack directed at [McBride] was certainly intended to dehumanize her before she has even been sworn in."

Representative Eric Sorensen, who became the first gay Illinois congressman in 2023, accused Mace of bullying, saying, "That is bulls—...and it is a slap in the face to the first trans member of Congress."

Robert Garcia, a gay congressman, told Nicolle Wallace on Deadline: White House that he was "disgusted" by Mace's "vile comments" regarding McBride.

Tammy Duckworth, the senator for Illinois, said Mace's "position is disgusting and wrong. But I also think that we have a lot more to worry about than where somebody goes to pee."

Sara Haines called Mace a "trolling bully".

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on The View that Mace needs an "intervention" over transphobic posts.

Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) said, "This is the typical House Republicans’ playbook: to distract, deflect, confuse, and scare instead of govern."

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, "What Nancy Mace and what Speaker Johnson are doing are endangering all women and girls."

Desi Lydic, a co-host of The Daily Show, poked fun at Mace if she was not "trying to get actual predators into the highest levels of government."

Ana Kasparian of the The Young Turks criticized Mace for her remarks in Kasparian's analysis of the Scripps anchor Liz Landers interview in which Mace interrupts Landers misgendering McBride.

Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, responded, "This new cruel and discriminatory policy ... targets not just Rep.-elect McBride, but all trans and nonbinary people who work and visit the Capitol." Additionally, on the basis of Mace's Human Rights Campaign Scorecard, an LGBTQ Nation analysis has shown that Nancy Mace was "always a transphobic extremist."

In response to the bathroom ban, GLAAD issued a press release stating, ""Biological sex" is not an accurate nor a scientific term, but is used by opponents of transgender people to dehumanize them and deny their equal access to society."

Advocates for Trans Equality criticized Mace's measures, stating, "These attacks are designed to divide us - a selfish tactic that undermines the needs of the American people. Policies targeting transgender people do not enhance safety; instead, they unfairly single out a vulnerable community."

Support for bill

Elon Musk tweeted his support for Nancy Mace with a meme with the text: "your mental illness is not my new reality."

Megyn Kelly misgendered McBride and said she must use "the men's bathroom".

Claims of censorship

Whereas most of Mace's posts relating to the topic were promoted, a couple got a warning label for hate speech on December 5, 2024. Mace denied the assertion, writing, "It's not hate speech."

See also

• Bathroom bill

External links

• H.Res.1579 - Prohibiting Members, officers, and employees of the House from using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex, and for other purposes

• H.R.10186 - Protecting Women’s Private Spaces Act