Republican Rep. Keith Self of Texas abruptly adjourned a subcommittee meeting after he caught flak for repeatedly misgendering Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the first openly transgender member of Congress and a frequent target of right-wing bullies.
The incident unfolded during a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on Tuesday when Self, who chairs the subcommittee on Europe, handed the floor over to McBride, referring to her as “Mr. McBride.”
Without skipping a beat, McBride briefly grimaced and responded, “Thank you, Madam Chair,” and began speaking. Then ranking member Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.) cut in, demanding accountability from Self.
“Mr. Chairman, could you repeat your introduction again, please?” Keating said to Self. Flustered, Self began to defend himself: “Yes, it’s a ― we have set the standard on the floor of the House, and I’m simply ―” he said until Keating cut in again.
“What is that standard? Mr. Chairman?” Keating asked. “Would you repeat what you just said when you introduced a duly elected representative from the United States of America, please?”
Self responded by misgendering McBride again. “I will. The representative from Delaware, Mr. McBride,” he said.
Keating grew firmer as the exchange heated up.
“Mr. Chairman, you are out of order. Mr. Chairman, have you no decency? I mean, I have come to know you a little bit, but this is not decent,” he said.
When Self said he’d like to continue on with the meeting, Keating pushed back: “We will continue this. You will not continue it with me unless you introduce a duly elected representative the right way.”
Self immediately banged the gavel and adjourned the meeting. Keating slammed his notebook shut and stood up to leave.
Self reposted a video of the incident on social media and wrote, “It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female.” He also reposted support from Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.), who used McBride’s deadname from before her transition. “Enough with the lies,” Miller wrote. “As God ordained and President Trump declared, there are only TWO GENDERS: Male and Female!”
McBride’s legally recognized gender is female, one of the two that Self and Miller claim is acceptable.
Self didn’t respond to requests for further comment on the incident, and neither did McBride nor Keating.
