WASHINGTON – Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) abruptly ended a House committee hearing Tuesday after he was confronted about misgendering a fellow House member.
The backstory:
Self was leading the Europe Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs when he addressed Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the first openly transgender member of Congress, as “Mr. McBride.”
McBride responded with, “Thank you, Madam Chair.”
The exchange prompted Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.) to demand that Self address McBride again.
Self again referred to the representative as “Mr. McBride.”
“Mr. Chairman, you are out of order,” Keating said. “Mr. Chairman, have you no decency?”
Self then tried to continue the hearing.
“You will not continue it with me unless you introduce a duly elected representative the right way,” Keating said.
Self then slammed his gavel and adjourned the meeting.
What they’re saying:
McBride did not address the controversy directly but did make a comment on the social media platform, X.
“No matter how I’m treated by some colleagues, nothing diminishes my awe and gratitude at getting to represent Delaware in Congress,” McBride said. “It is truly the honor and privilege of a lifetime. I simply want to serve and to try to make this world a better place.”
Self did address the abrupt end to the meeting.
“It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female,” Self said.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order that reads, in part: “It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female. These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”
The Source: Information on the exchange comes from the committee live stream. Comments made by Self and McBride come from X. The wording of Trump’s executive order comes from the White House.
