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- Democratic Rep. Marie Newman responded to her office neighbor mocking transgender rights.
- Newman, whose daughter is transgender, hung a trans pride flag in support of the Equality Act.
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene put up a “There are TWO genders: Male & Female” poster in response.
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After Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene put up a poster mocking transgender rights, her office neighbor said on Thursday that colleagues from both parties have been reaching out to express their concern over Greene mocking her transgender daughter.
Rep. Marie Newman, an Illinois Democrat, initially hung a transgender pride flag outside of her office on Wednesday in support of the Equality Act, which would extend legal civil rights protections to LGBTQ Americans. Newman said she wanted Greene to see the flag after the committee-stripped Georgian derided the bill as “disgusting, immoral, and evil.”
Greene’s poster read, “There are TWO genders: Male & Female. Trust The Science!”
“I thought, ‘Wow, she’s got a lot of time on her hands,’ Newman said in an interview on CNN Thursday morning. “Because she would have to go get that printed and decide that this is the right thing to do. So kind of wild on a bunch of fronts.”
—Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 25, 2021
Newman also defended her daughter, Evie, and described the outpouring of support following Greene’s gesture.
"I'm immensely proud of my daughter," Newman said. "And that's all anyone is asking for, is to be treated as anyone else. And that's what I want Representative Greene to see."
The Illinoisan added that her hanging of the flag was not meant to spark some kind of feud.
"I made my statement," Newman said. "I feel good that she is seeing the flag every day and is seeing LGBTQ folks. Whatever she chooses to move forward, it was never meant to be a tit-for-tat or a game or anything. I just needed to make that statement to her."
The bill in question would extend civil rights protections in everyday realms such as employment and housing to include provisions against discrimination by gender identity and sexual orientation. In states without those protections written into their laws, landlords and employers can legally turn someone down for being transgender or queer, but not on the basis of race or religion, for example.
Newman went on to chide Greene for the effort that went into making the poster.
"If she's going to spend time running to FedEx and creating goofy signs, have at it," Newman said.