One of the Republican Party’s leading opponents of transgender rights asserts that she was assaulted by a pro-transgender individual at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday evening.
Nancy Mace (R-SC) took to X to share that she sustained minor injuries to her arm and wrist following the incident, which reportedly occurred around 6 p.m., according to CNN reports.
“I was physically confronted this evening on Capitol grounds over my efforts to safeguard women. Capitol police have taken him into custody,” she stated, describing her alleged assailant as a “pro-transgender man.”
She further commented: “The persistent violence and intimidation only reinforce our message. Women have the right to feel safe. Your threats will not deter my commitment to advocate for women!”
The Capitol Police verified that they responded to a situation in the Rayburn Office Building, leading to the arrest of a 33-year-old man identified as James McIntyre from Illinois, who is now “facing a charge for Assaulting a Government Official.”
Recently, Mace has attracted attention for her efforts to prohibit transgender women from using women’s restrooms in federally funded schools and buildings, including those at the Capitol.
This initiative followed the historic election of Sarah McBride, an upcoming Democratic Party representative, who became the first openly transgender individual elected to Congress.
While the MAGA movement has openly expressed disdain for individuals who identify differently from their assigned gender at birth, Mace’s focus on transgender rights appears to be a more recent development.
As recently as July 2023, the South Carolina representative had actually worked to position herself as a supporter of the transgender community, even advocating for children to be encouraged in exploring their gender identities.
“If they wish to adopt a different pronoun or express a different gender identity, or change their hairstyle, or wear a dress or pants, or engage in those activities as minors—those are all things I believe most individuals would endorse,” she stated in an interview with CBS’s The Takeout last year.
“Embrace who you want to be, but refrain from implementing irreversible changes as a child,” she concluded.
