Over the weekend, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) flooded X with a deluge of hateful rhetoric that repeatedly called transgender people “mentally ill.” Her comments arrive just a year after she proclaimed herself “pro-transgender rights“
Mace introduced a resolution last week aimed at prohibiting transgender members of Congress and other government employees from using Capitol Hill facilities that match their gender identity. The motion targeted Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.), who became the first openly transgender person to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Days later, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Congress’ first-ever transgender lawmaker — and all transgender women — would be banned from using women’s restrooms on Capitol grounds. Mace also “doubled down” and introduced similar legislation that would apply to every federal building including federally funded schools
In text messages sent to CNN, Mace emphasized her past support for same-sex marriage and stated that while she has no issue with people using preferred pronouns, she is against transgender people using spaces that match their gender identity. “Voted for gay marriage twice. Would do it again. Have supported pro LGBTQ legislation. Draw the line at women being forced to undress in front of men or men using our bathrooms or any private spaces,” Mace told the outlet, while also saying transgender people need to “seek help.”
In a July 2023 interview uncovered by CNN, the South Carolina Republican opposed gender-affirming care for minors, but supported children exploring their gender identities and said, “I’m pro transgender rights. I’m pro LGBTQ.”
“If they wanna take on a different pronoun or a different gender identity or grow their hair out, or wear a dress or wear pants, or do those things as a minor — those are all things that I think most people would support. Be who you want to be, but don’t make permanent changes as a child,” Mace said at the time. The Republican has also backed legislation that would ban transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports.
However, her tone has drastically changed following Trump’s presidential victory earlier this month. In an attempt to position herself in Trump 2.0’s good graces, Mace has gone from being a “caucus of one” LGBTQ ally to an anti-trans culture warrior reposting a photo of herself suggestively cutting into an eggplant.
After introducing the resolution last week, the Republican has repeatedly referred to transgender people as suffering from a “mental illness.” At one point, Mace filmed herself taping a piece of paper with the word “BIOLOGICAL” above a women’s restroom sign at the Capitol.
“If you’ve received a prescription for ADHD medicine you are ineligible to join the US military. But if you are a mentally ill man who thinks they are a woman, you can join the military and the U.S. government will pay for your sex change,” she wrote in one X post Monday. Throughout her anti-trans bathroom crusade, Mace has also made it a point to misgender McBride.
During an interview with CBS’ Face The Nation, McBride was asked if she felt she being treated with dignity by her colleagues. “What matters is how the American people are being treated — and every bit of time and energy that is being used to focus on manufactured crises and culture wars is time and energy that is not being used to lower costs facing families,” replied McBride. “That’s what I’m focused on. I hope my colleagues who are focused on other things join me in prioritizing the needs of the American people.”