Inside Democrats’ Reshuffling on Trans Issues

Democrats are talking about how to handle transgender rights politically, after infighting and flailing over the issue in the last year. “We have to create more space in our tent,” said Rep. Sarah McBride.

Sarah McBride speaks during a news conference at the House Democrats 2025 Issues Conference.

Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP

Democrats are starting to have serious conversations around how to handle transgender rights politically ahead of next year’s elections — after, by their own admission, they were caught flat-footed on the issue in 2024.

The upshot, so far: Don’t be so dogmatic that you risk alienating voters and allies.

Rep. Sarah McBride, the first openly trans member of Congress, and her staff have spoken to her Democratic colleagues about the topic, NOTUS has learned. The Delaware congresswoman has cautioned moderate Democrats that the tenor and tone of their comments — particularly on questioning trans athletes in sports, which is where most of the debate has focused — might inflame and splinter factions instead of being productive.

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