(CNN) –– Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene faces strong criticism after posting an anti-transgender sign outside her office, directly in front of the office of another congressman who has a transgender daughter.
Greene’s move comes as the House is expected to pass the Equality Act on Thursday. Exactly a bill that would ban discrimination against LGBTQ Americans. This after Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican of Georgia, failed on Wednesday in her attempt to block the law. The decision to hang the sign also comes after a series of inflammatory statements and actions from the freshman congressman. In fact, Greene was removed from his assignment assignments earlier this month after violent comments on his part were discovered in the past.
Illinois Rep. Marie Newman, whose daughter is transgender, posted one video on Twitter, in which he appears to be hanging the pink and blue transgender pride flag outside his office on Wednesday afternoon. The message accompanying the images indicated that Greene was trying to block the act. This “because she believes banning discrimination against transgender people is ‘disgusting, immoral and bad,'” Newman wrote. She added, “We thought we would put up our transgender flag so she (Greene) could look at it every time. that she opens her door. ”The last sentence was followed by winking emojis and transgender flags.
That night, Greene retweeted Newman’s message. But, added a video of hers hung a sign saying “There are TWO genders: MALE AND FEMALE … Trust in science!”
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has been strongly criticized for placing an anti-transgender sign outside her office, directly in front of the office of another legislator who has a transgender daughter.
“Our neighbor, @RepMarieNewman, wants to pass the so-called ‘equality law’ to destroy women’s rights and religious freedoms. We thought we’d hang ours so she can see them every time she opens the door, ‘Greene wrote. And it also included wink and American flag emojis.
Newman told CNN on Thursday that trading with Greene was never intended to be a fight. Then he added that he is not concerned about Greene’s reaction to his flag.
“It was a statement that I thought was very necessary … I felt she should hear from us,” the Democratic congressman told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on “New Day.” “And what I meant by that is that I just wanted to make a statement for her to see LGBTQ + people. And so the symbolism was simply putting the flag there so that it should see our community every day. You know, I am very proud of my daughter. All we ask is that they be treated like everyone else. And that’s what I want Representative Greene to see, ”he explained.
Then he added that Marjorie Taylor Greene can go on with “whatever she’s doing and I’m not interested in it.” She also said she is concerned about vaccine distribution. “If she’s going to spend time running to FedEx and making ridiculous posters, let her do it,” he said.
When asked to comment on Newman’s comments, Nick Dyer, Greene’s communications director, told CNN in an email Thursday that “the sign says it all.”
Greene’s action drew twofold criticism. Including those of Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, an outspoken critic of Greene. Kinzinger was one of 11 Republican lawmakers who voted to strip her commission orders.
This is sad and I am sorry it happened. Representative Newman’s daughter is transgender. And this video and tweet represent policies of self-promotion driven by hate and fame at all costs ”, tweeted Kinzinge. He added, “This shit must end” to restore the Republican Party.
Don Byer, Democratic Representative from Virginia, expressed this Wednesday on Twitter “cyberbullying his colleague’s daughter” by Greene. He noted that it was “an ugly and bigotry attack that is absolutely extraordinary.” In this sense, he asked lawmakers to support Newman.
Marjorie Taylor Greene is against the Equality Act
Greene has a history of making offensive statements and promoting conspiracy theories. In this sense, while opposing the adoption of the Equality Act in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, he made inflammatory remarks.
“It is one thing to stop discrimination against a certain class of people. But it’s another thing to completely violate and destroy the rights of girls and women to do that, ”Greene said.
In arguing that equality for one group of people would take away the equality of others, Greene also argued that this legislation would make sport unfair.
Organic women cannot compete with biological men. Organic girls can’t compete with organic guys and they shouldn’t, ”she said.
Greene also said the bill would “put trans rights above women’s rights, above the rights of our daughters, our sisters, our friends, our grandmothers, our aunts. It is too much”.
In recent years, transgender athletes have fought against laws designed to limit their participation due to their gender identity. Many argue that such policies violate Title IX, the federal law against discrimination in education that is attributed to a level playing field for women in sports.
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s past extremist comments and behavior worried lawmakers. They even brought Missouri Rep. Democrat Cori Bush to move her office away from Greene after a heated exchange of views about the Republican not wearing a mask in the Capitol hallway.
The vote on the Equality Act comes at an important time for the rights of transgender people. Just as the Biden government has taken steps to help with this. Among them, the end of former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people in military service. Also next Thursday, a Senate hearing will take place for Dr. Rachel Levine, chosen by Biden as assistant secretary for health. Levine would make history as the first transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate.
Annie Grayer, Clare Foran, Daniella Diaz, Madeline Holcombe and Andy Rose, all from CNN, contributed to this report.