The letter cites ‘multiple instances of a member of Congress using a slur to refer to the transgender community during official proceedings.’
Over 200 House Democrats signed an open letter to Speaker Mike Johnson urging him to condemn “the rise in anti-transgender rhetoric” and further enforce the rules of decorum so that members of Congress are not “using their platforms to demonize and scapegoat any marginalized community, including the transgender community.”
“This Congress, we have seen a dramatic escalation in rhetoric demonizing and dehumanizing the transgender community. This includes multiple instances of a member of Congress using a slur to refer to the transgender community during official proceedings, including during committee proceedings and on the floor of the House,” reads the letter, dated Tuesday. “Despite the responsibility of Committee Chairs and the Speaker of the House to maintain order and ensure members are following the rules of decorum, no action was taken by the Chair or Speaker Pro Tempore in any of these circumstances.”
A total of 213 Democrat representatives signed the letter, while no Republicans joined. According to a press release from the Congressional Equality Caucus, the letter was initiated by Mark Takano, a Democrat representative from California and current Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, and Representative Sarah McBride (D., Del.), who identifies as transgender. Additional signatories include Nancy Pelosi, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jasmine Crockett, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib. The letter was also signed by the current Democratic leadership: Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark, Democratic Caucus Chair Peter Aguilar, Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn, and Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu.
The Congressional Equality Caucus, under Takano’s leadership, released a statement in September condemning “derogatory language” and other comments that suggested transgender-identifying individuals should be institutionalized.
“Representatives Nancy Mace and Ronny Jackson are calling for transgender people to be locked up against their will and institutionalized,” Takano said in a statement issued on September 17. “These comments are abhorrent and have no place in our society, especially coming from elected leaders. This demonization of the transgender community must end. Speaker Johnson and Republican leadership have a duty to reign in these extremist Members and put a stop to this vile, hateful rhetoric.”
The letter sent to Speaker Johnson on Tuesday similarly expresses concerns about comments suggesting transgenderism is a mental illness and that trans-identifying individuals should be institutionalized.
“We have also heard calls by members of Congress to institutionalize all transgender people, comments referring to transgender people as mentally ill, and false suggestions by high-level political figures that transgender people are inherently violent and must be addressed as a national security threat,” reads the letter. “This language, coupled with the rising number of legislative and administrative attacks we have seen against the transgender community, is taking a real toll on the transgender community with many members fearing for their safety.”
The letter concludes by encouraging Speaker Johnson to “ensure members of your conference are abiding by rules of decorum and not using their platforms to demonize and scapegoat the transgender community, including by ensuring members are not using slurs to refer to the transgender community.”
The letter cites the Deschler-Brown Precedents, which state that “Profanity may not be voiced in debate regardless of the subject of the remarks, and remarks with critical racial overtones are out of order.” The Deschler-Brown Precedents also state “Members should refrain from using profanity or vulgarity in debate; the Chair has taken the initiative against a Member’s use of profanity.” However, those volumes are reference materials that compile past parliamentary rulings; they do not formally bind Congress.