The 119th US House of Representatives marked milestones for LGBTQ+ members after the inauguration on January 3.1.
ABC News reported that after her inauguration on January 3.1, Sarah McBride became the first openly transgender member of the US Congress, serving as a representative for the state of Delaware. Previously, she was a legislator in the Delaware state senate, and was also the first transgender person to serve in the state senate.
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| US House Speaker Mike Johnson (left) met with Sarah McBride, the first transgender congresswoman in the US Congress on January 3.1. |
Another figure is Julie Johnson, who will become the first LGBTQ+ congresswoman from a Southern state, when she represents Texas in the House of Representatives. She previously served in the Texas legislature since 2018. During her campaign, she highlighted her support for legislation to combat anti-LGBTQ+ behavior. Meanwhile, Emily Randall, a Washington state congresswoman since 2018, will become the first LGBTQ+ Latina to serve in the highest legislative body in the United States. Randall's policies include health care, equity in education and protect minority communities.
By page AdvocateThe 119th US Congress (2025-2027) has 13 LGBTQ+ congressmen, equal to the record number of the 118th Congress.
In recent years, federal and local officials across the US have warned of rising violence against the LGBTQ+ community. In Congress, Ms. McBride has faced some pushback from colleagues, including South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace, who proposed legislation to ban transgender women from using women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill, saying it was “entirely” proposed in response to Ms. McBride’s entry into Congress. The bill has since been dropped.
According to House rules, the Speaker of the House has the authority to make “general regulations” for the facilities of the House. House Speaker Mike Johnson once said that transgender women cannot use women’s restrooms or women’s locker rooms in House buildings, although there is no specific document.
“I’m not here to fight for bathrooms,” McBride said. “I’m here to fight for Delawareans and to reduce the cost burden on families. Like my colleagues, I will follow the rules set by Chairman Mike Johnson, even if I disagree.”