Rep. Sarah McBride on representing Delaware, introducing her first bill and breaking barriers in Congress
Delaware Rep. Sarah McBride has made history, becoming the first openly transgender state senator in the nation and then the first openly transgender member of Congress.
Her political rise has come at a time of intense legislative battles over transgender rights, particularly as Republican-led states across the country push for restrictions on these rights.
McBride, still settling into her office in Wilmington this month, looked around at the boxes — some still packed — all reminders of the long road that led her to this pivotal moment.
"Everywhere I look here I just see memories from throughout my life," McBride said, looking out at a view of Wilmington. But despite the personal significance of this milestone, her focus remains squarely on her work.
"The last two months have been a hell of a decade," McBride joked.
McBride has wasted no time making her impact in the 119th Congress. She currently serves on both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Space, Science, and Technology Committee. She was the first freshman Democrat this year to introduce a bill — a bipartisan effort aimed at preventing scams in the credit repair industry.
"I joined with a Republican colleague of mine to introduce a bill that would prevent the predatory behavior we're seeing from so-called credit repair organizations that charge exorbitant, large upfront fees on vulnerable Delawareans, vulnerable Americans, based on false promises of an improved credit score," McBride said.
Beyond her legislative work, McBride recognizes the responsibility she holds as a representative of a marginalized community.
"I didn't run for public office to be a first, I didn't run to be a spokesperson for a movement," McBride said. "I ran to be a voice for Delawareans."
However, she acknowledged the unique challenges of representing a community often misunderstood and mistreated, especially given the current administration's stance on transgender rights.
"The only way I can guarantee that while I may be the first, I'm not the last, is to quite simply do the best job that I can, to prove that no matter your background, all of us can participate in our democracy," McBride said.
McBride also shared how she remains grounded amidst the distractions of Washington. For her, it's Delaware and the unwavering support of family and friends that keeps her centered. She recalled the difficult time when she served as a caregiver for her late husband, who died from cancer in 2014.
"It's the state that has helped me find my hope and to heal after losing my husband to cancer," McBride said.
"My brother is a radiation oncologist, and he said to me in the final few weeks of my husband's life, this is going to be incredibly difficult, but you should look around you and take stock in the acts of amazing grace that will fill your life, and that grace and those miracles were everywhere," McBride said.
She carries that message with her.
"It has allowed me through challenges since — both personal and challenges for our country — to be able to look around and see those acts of amazing grace that fill our communities, that fill our state, that still fill our nation," she said.
Despite the challenges, McBride remains focused on her role and responsibilities — and on finding those moments of grace.
"The moment you stop feeling that is the moment you should look for another line of work," she said, "because this is awe-inspiring work."
