Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz said Tuesday he will not support a pro-LGBTQ bill being pushed by Democrats because if the law were enacted, President Donald Trump would be able to declare himself the nation’s “first female president.”
Gaetz said that while he supports LGBTQ rights, he can’t support the proposed “Equality Act,” because of it’s logical fallacies. (RELATED: Manchin Won’t Support ‘Equality Act’ Because He’s ‘Not Convinced’ It Will Be Properly Implemented)
“I strongly support the rights of transgender individuals,” Gaetz said. “I will not denigrate or deny their struggles. But I am concerned about the potential bad actors who would exploit the provisions for their own gain.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz, during a hearing on transgender rights, wonders what would happen if Trump were to declare himself the first female president. pic.twitter.com/uYFheZVjUN
— Alexander Nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) April 2, 2019
Gaetz said that he supports the bill’s concept, but believes the legislation is overly broad. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Rep. Gaetz Has A Lot Of Thoughts About His Colleague Ocasio-Cortez)
“If President Trump were to say, ‘I’m am now the first female president,’ who would celebrate that?” Gaetz added.
While proponents of the so-called “Equality Act,” have championed the legislation as an anti-discrimination measure, the bill has been criticized by opponents for its broad definition of gender and lack of protections for religious organizations.
The bill currently has 240 sponsors, all but three of whom are Democrats, and is expected to pass the House. However, it is not expected to advance in the Senate, where Republicans still hold the majority.