Transgender rights activists, including former U.S. Army intelligence analyst and whistleblower Chelsea Manning, gathered at the Capitol on Thursday at a same-sex-only facility on the House side of the Capitol that matches the gender identity of transgender people. protested a new policy banning transgender people from using .
More than a dozen transgender people and their supporters attended the rally. “Sitting on the toilet” in the bathroom across from the office of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana). The protest was organized by the Gender Liberation Movement (GLM), a grassroots volunteer-run organization that brings attention to issues related to bodily autonomy and gender.
Protesters held banners asking Congress to stop “insulting our rights” and chanted, “Speaker Johnson, Nancy Mace, our bodies are not up for debate!” . Several transgender women, including GLM founder Raquel Willis, entered the women's restroom near the chairman's office.
uploaded video on the group's Instagram story Willis and others are shown washing their hands inside the bathroom and chanting at another banner that reads “Bathroom stigma”. a second video Capitol Police officers are shown arresting some of the protesters, including Manning, who smiled for the camera as he was led away in zip ties.
The move comes after Johnson announced a new bathroom policy late last month, following a similar effort by Rep. Nancy Mace (RS.C.) to block transgender people from Capitol Hill facilities. Johnson said he was “absolutely” motivated by the election of Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride. – Delaware) will become the first openly transgender lawmaker when she takes office in January.
“Mr McBride said he would abide by Mr Johnson's new policy. “I am not here to fight over bathrooms,'' he said in a statement, saying he disagreed with the move and considered it a distraction. He added that
Last month, Mace introduced another bill that would ban transgender women and men from restrooms at museums, national parks and other federal properties, and posted a post on her social media accounts about trans women (whom she refers to as “men”). ) has posted his thoughts hundreds of times. Women should not be allowed access to spaces reserved for women.
South Carolina lawmaker who said he received death threats over the bill is offering for every $35 donated a T-shirt with the phrase “Come and Get It” printed below an image of a women's restroom sign. He has pledged to do so and is collecting donations through his own activities. campaign.
in video On Thursday, Mace posted on social platform
On Wednesday, several transgender, non-binary and cisgender people We filmed ourselves dancing. In one of the women's restrooms at the Capitol. They wore shirts that read, “Transgender people are not dangerous. You are, too,” a message aimed at Mace.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office declined to comment on Thursday's protests.
