Republican Lauren Boebert targets US veteran with anti-trans rant during House debate

Lauren Boebert deliberately misgendered a transgender US veteran during a House debate on Wednesday (27 September).

The Republican lawmaker refused to recognise Department of Defense (DoD) deputy under secretary Shawn Skelly’s gender during a debate in the House of Representatives, deliberately using the wrong pronouns throughout the session.

Boebert accused Skelly of “failing at [her] job” while calling her “delusional” for “thinking [she] is a woman.”

The Colorado representative said: “The military shouldn’t be focused on this woke agenda and combatting climate change. With [Ms] Skelly at the helm of readiness, these misguided policy pursuits will continue to be at the forefront of [the] DoD’s priorities.”

She then put forward an amendment calling for Skelly’s salary to be reduced to a one dollar.

Democrat Betty McCollum confronted Boebart’s antics, telling her that Skelly deserved “to be treated with dignity and respect when being addressed”.

McCollum added: “Assistant Secretary Skelly has served in her role admirably, as she has done in her time as a naval officer.

“The colleague who offers this amendment provides no real substantive reason why assistant secretary Skelly should have her salary reduced.”

Emphasising the use of Skelly’s correct pronouns, the McCollum added that Boebert was targeting the DoD official “because she is simply a woman”.

The Minnesota representative said: “I have fought long and hard with many women before me and with our allies for pay equity. We still have a long way to go, but I’m never going to vote to reduce a woman’s salary.”

The amendment failed by a vote of 268-161. Almost all Democrats voted against the amendment, with Cori Bush, Mary Sattler Peltola and Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan not voting.

Fifty-six Republicans voted against the amendment, while six abstained from voting.

Budget amendments would defund gender-affirming care for veterans

Boebert’s attempt to defund a trans political official comes as Republicans look to remove further financial protections for transgender military service personnel.

Numerous anti-LGBTQ+ amendments in the annual National Defense Authorisation Act – which is required to fund the US military – would ban gender-affirming care for veterans, ban drag shows and prohibit Pride flags in military buildings.

Boebert, who has supported the anti-LGBTQ+ amendments, used the floor debate to accuse pro-LGBTQ+ Democrats of “delusion” while again misgendering Skelly.

“Our military needs to be lethal and able to defend our national security, not pander to the woke extremist left and make up fairy tales,” she said.

A vocal supporter of Donald Trump, Boebart has recently become embroiled in a controversy after she was removed from a production of Beetlejuice for disruptive behaviour.

Boebert, who in year accused senators of “sexualising” children, was spotted seemingly groping her male date in CCTV footage during the family-friendly show at the Buell Theatre, in Denver.

She also took flash photographs and used a vape despite being asked to stop, as well as loudly singing and dancing.

After she was escorted out of the venue, the congresswoman allegedly said: “Do you know who I am?”