Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person elected to the U.S. Congress, has strongly criticized former President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Speaking at the HRC Greater New York Dinner, McBride didn’t hold back, calling out the administration’s efforts to roll back protections for transgender and non-binary individuals.
Trump’s policies, which include recognizing only two genders and eliminating gender-neutral options on federal documents, have sparked widespread outrage. McBride highlighted how these measures not only harm LGBTQ+ individuals but also undermine parental rights and federal programs promoting diversity. She also pointed to the administration’s ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports and its efforts to remove transgender service members from the military.
“This administration has turned its focus on transgender people during a time of national and global crises,” McBride said. “They’re obsessed with controlling our lives, from bathrooms to sports fields, and they’re using us as pawns in a larger plan to dismantle federal protections.”
McBride urged her audience to fight back with compassion and determination. “We must meet people where they are and change hearts and minds,” she said. “This isn’t just about LGBTQ+ rights—it’s about protecting the values of equality and fairness for everyone.”
