Rep. Jasmine Crockett Challenged By Lawmaker After Heated Exchange

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D- Texas) and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) became entangled in a heated debate as lawmakers passed legislation to ban “biological men” from participating in women’s sports on Tuesday (Jan. 14).

According to The New Republic, Crockett introduced her amendment after the House of Representatives voted in favor of H.R. 28, named the “The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” which would make it so that, “sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth,” to ban federally funded schools from practicing “sex-based discrimination.”

In Crockett’s rebuttal, she claimed Republicans are putting a target on the “most vulnerable in our country.”

“The fact that you just sat up there and somehow figured out how to tie trans folk to your argument makes no sense to me but let me tell you something: Trans people ain’t going nowhere, just like when the racists wanted to make sure that Black people somehow were going to be dismissed in this country, we ain’t left either,” she exclaimed per TNR.

“Somebody’s campaign coffers are really struggling right now, so she’s going to keep saying ‘trans trans trans’ so that people will feel threatened,” she continued, referring to Mace’s merchandise line to prohibit transwomen from using public bathrooms designated for ladies.

“And chile, listen. I want y’all to tell me—,” continued Crockett before being interrupted by an offended Mace.

“I am no child,” Mace shouted from her seat “Do not call me a child! I am no child! Don’t even start, I am a grown woman. I am 47 years old. I have broken more glass ceilings than you ever have…You will not do that. I am not a child. I am not a child. If you want to take it outside, we can do that.”

Her response misunderstood Crockett’s use of the term “chile,” as she was not labeling Mace an adolescent, yet using the African American Vernacular English (AAVE) version of the phrase, which can be used to express a level of shock, surprise, or excitement, among other things.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer attempted to control the room, grabbing his gavel and calling for order as Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost moved to strike Mace’s “take it outside” remark from the official record. Comer denied, claiming that Mace did not invite Crockett to a physical fight.

“What the gentlelady said was, ‘We can take this outside if you want,’ and that could mean we could go outside and have a cup of coffee, or perhaps a beer, and you know we have lots of conversations outside,” he suggested.

In a statement on X, Mace assures that her comments were not to insight physical violence, but to invite Crockett to a conversation writing, “I’m no child. And if I wanted a physical fight, you’d know it. That’s not what this was. I won’t be bullied by someone who wants to take away women’s rights while lecturing about civil rights. I won’t be bullied by someone who thinks being scared of rape is a ‘fantasy.’”

She closed her message by asserting, “This ain’t political, it’s personal.”