U.S. Representative Sarah McBride has said she won’t allow herself to be “martyred” as the country’s first openly transgender member of Congress, even as she acknowledges that her life is in danger due to escalating anti-trans rhetoric.
Speaking at the premiere of A State of Firsts, a documentary chronicling her groundbreaking election, the Delaware Democrat candidly discussed the risks she faces. “It’s hard to play the long game when your short-term life is at risk,” McBride said, highlighting the peril posed by the current wave of transphobia in the U.S.
McBride, who made history in January by becoming the first out trans person sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives, has become a target for Republican lawmakers seeking to advance anti-trans policies. Last November, House Republicans passed a resolution that bars transgender members from using single-sex facilities. Republican Nancy Mace, who introduced the resolution, confirmed it was “absolutely” aimed at McBride.
At the event on 7 June, McBride condemned what she described as the “strategies of reality TV” employed by some on the right. “You have to remove the incentives for these people, because at the end of the day the incentive is attention,” she said.
Despite the challenges, McBride remains focused on her legislative priorities. “We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars,” she said in the documentary, as reported by Mother Jones.
When the House resolution passed, McBride issued a statement saying she would comply, explaining: “I’m not here to fight about bathrooms.” This stance, however, drew criticism from parts of the trans community, who viewed it as a betrayal.
Addressing that reaction, McBride clarified her position: “While I disagreed with the resolution, refusing to comply would put a bounty on my head. The disobedience isn’t taking a toilet seat; the disobedience is taking this congressional seat. I refuse to be martyred. I want to be a member of Congress.”
Her run for office was inspired in part by the memory of her late husband, and McBride said she’s committed to pushing for change through the “power of proximity.”
“Representation doesn’t solve everything, but it has an impact,” she said. “There are people who think representation doesn’t matter at all and people who think it will solve everything — it’s somewhere in the middle.”
A recent Gallup poll reflects a shifting public sentiment, showing that only 40% of U.S. adults now believe it is “morally acceptable” to change gender, down from 44% in 2024.
