WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Sarah McBride, who transitioned from male to female and legally changed her name from Tim to Sarah, blasted a House Republican-backed bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” calling the legislation “ridiculous” and a distraction from more pressing national issues.
“We are on our way to the House floor to vote on what is possibly the dumbest bill we could be spending our time on,” McBride said Thursday. “This is ridiculous.”
McBride, a first-term Democrat, drew attention by mocking the proposal despite her own personal history of changing both her name and gender identity.
Her comments triggered online reaction, including a viral tweet from conservative commentator Matt Walsh, who wrote: “A dude who calls himself ‘Sarah’ thinks it’s dumb to rename something.”
The bill, introduced by House Republicans, has been widely panned by Democrats as a symbolic gesture aimed at scoring political points. McBride argued the legislation was designed to divert attention from more critical policy debates.
“They would rather us be talking about renaming the Gulf of Mexico than talking about how House Republicans are trying to nix health care for millions of Americans,” McBride said during remarks to reporters. “In this economy, what the hell are we doing here?”
Key points
- Rep. Sarah McBride, who transitioned from male to female, criticized GOP effort to rename Gulf of Mexico.
- The bill has been labeled a distraction from health care and economic issues.
- Matt Walsh highlighted perceived irony in McBride opposing a name change after changing her own.
McBride posted on X Thursday, “I’m on my way to the House floor to vote against what is possibly the dumbest bill we could be voting on right now: renaming the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America.”
The legislation has little chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate, but it has stirred debate over political messaging and priorities in the House. Supporters of the bill argue that it reflects American pride, while opponents see it as empty symbolism.
The controversy adds another cultural flashpoint to ongoing partisan clashes in Congress, this time over the name of a body of water.
