Delaware State Senator Sarah Mcbride is running to make history this November — to become the first openly transgender member of Congress. She has served as a Democratic State Senator in Delaware since 2020, making her the current highest-ranking elected official who is transgender. In this position, she is a strong proponent of gun safety, LGBTQ+ rights, abortion, and protecting families from financial instability. Undoubtedly, she is an inspiration across the country not only for her identity that paves the way for future generations of diverse and underrepresented people but also for her ambition that seeks to restore and uphold human rights through legislation. To her, politics is the perfect place to “make the most amount of change” as she said in an interview with Advocate Channel.
In Delaware, she successfully lobbied for legislation that helped pass paid family and medical leave and will continue to fight for its implementation federally. Furthermore, she improved reading and literacy by expanding early childhood education access. Her future goals include advocating for worker’s rights, strengthening unions, reforming our criminal justice system, keeping families safe from gun violence, and rescuing our climate. As a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, it is no surprise that she remains dedicated to empowering often-overlooked communities. Her goals include codifying Roe v. Wade, expanding healthcare and rights for LGBTQ+ people, strengthening gun safety laws, such as banning assault rifles federally, and increasing the minimum wage.
When asked about her opinions on the current Republican-controlled US House in an interview with Advocate Channel, she expressed that they are “not effective in meeting the needs of the people. The majority of the US House of Representatives scapegoat and fearmonger around issues… to distract from the fact that they don’t have absolutely no policy agenda for workers and families in our country…” Amid recent Republican rhetoric — claiming programs like DEI are harmful or portraying transgender people as a threat to youth — it’s clear there’s a lack of focus on the actual issues impacting Americans.
Sarah McBride rivals conservative sentiment with her passion for a more livable future for everyone: LGBTQ+ people, women, minorities, and people who want to “raise a family and pursue their career at the same time.” While she does not intend to make her identity the center of her campaign, she acknowledges the profound impact her presence in Congress could have for future generations. In the same interview, she expresses that seeing someone like herself in politics would have meant a lot to her as a kid and that having an openly transgender person in office reinforces the humanity of transgender people. Our democracy is big enough for everyone — including the transgender community.