Sarah McBride's Baby Bits Make Rep. Keith Self Big Mad

Why are Republicans so obsessed with trans people and the private parts they were born with?

On March 11 Texas GOP Rep. Keith Self referred to transgender Rep. Sarah McBride as "Mr. McBride." When confronted by ranking member Rep. William Keating, who asked Self, “Have you no decency?” over the disrespect he was showing a duly elected official, Self adjourned the meeting and stormed off.

When I saw the video of the exchange and read the comments, several people were confused over why Republicans are so obsessed with trans identity. Responses listed the distraction power (trans bathroom headlines always seem to fall amid heavy scandal, like yesterday’s plummeting market). But there’s more going on than rude politicians, bathrooms, and trans athlete bills.

I think what Democrats and Progressives may not understand about evangelical fundamentalists is that they’re fixated on trans identities because they’ve always been obsessed with genitals.