On Tuesday, March 11th, an unprecedented outburst occurred at a congressional hearing in DC. Representative Keith Self addressed his colleague, transgender Representative Sarah McBride as “Mr. McBride”. McBride, the sole House Representative from Delaware, is a Democrat and the first openly transgender member of the United States Congress. As a result, she has been a distinctive target for Republican officials throughout her career. McBride typically chooses to ignore, or even excuse, such insults, showcasing a maturity that is rare in today’s politics. This particular instance was no different, as McBride’s only sign of irritation was referring to herself as “Madam Chair”, and then moving on. However, she was quickly interrupted by Representative William Keating, a fellow Democrat, who was unwilling to let Rep. Self off that easily.
Keating asked Self to repeat his introduction, giving him a last chance to redeem himself. Still, Self doubled down, again referring to Rep. Mcbride as “Mr. McBride”. In his words, he was only complying with a “standard” set by the White House. Keating, appearing appalled, replied, “Mr. Chairman, you are out of order. Mr. Chairman, have you no decency? I mean, I’ve come to know you a little bit, but this is not decent.” Self answered only by stating it was time to move forward with the hearing. But, Keating put his foot down and said, “You will not continue it with me unless you introduce a duly elected representative the right way.” With that, Self adjourned the meeting.
While McBride did not directly speak out about the incident, she vaguely addressed it on social media, “No matter how I’m treated by some colleagues, nothing diminishes my awe and gratitude at getting to represent Delaware in Congress. I simply want to serve and to try to make this world a better place.” McBride makes it abundantly clear that she is hopeful and genuinely grateful for her position and the opportunity to change the world for the better.
In watching this moment on video, I was inspired by Keating’s unwillingness to excuse hatred and discrimination. His words against Self may not have changed his mind, but have certainly set a better precedent for respect. The scene Keating caused will likely go down in history as one of the most impactful public shows of support for LGBTQ+ rights in government.
By Sophie Ricks
“Congresswoman Sarah Mcbride.” 2020. Congresswoman Sarah Mcbride. 2020. https://mcbride.house.gov/.
Uribe, Raquel Coronell, and Syedah Asghar. 2025. “Republican Adjourns Hearing after Exchange over Sarah McBride Misgendering.” NBC News. March 12, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republican-adjourns-hearing-exchange-sarah-mcbride-misgendering-rcna195936.
Blackstone, Maya. 2025. “‘Out of Order’: Hearing Abruptly Ends after GOP Lawmaker Misgenders Congresswoman.” CNN. March 12, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/12/politics/video/hearing-abruptly-ends-after-gop-lawmaker-misgenders-transgender-congresswoman-digvid.
Nitzberg, Alex. 2025. “GOP Lawmaker Explains Why He Called Trans Dem ‘Mr. McBride’: ‘I Don’t Have to Participate in His Fantasy.’” Fox News. March 13, 2025. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-lawmaker-explains-why-he-called-trans-dem-mr-mcbride-dont-have-participate-fantasy.
Karni, Annie. 2025. “Republican Refers to Sarah McBride, Transgender Congress Member, as a Man.” The New York Times, March 11, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/us/politics/sarah-mcbride-keith-self-transgender.html.
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