In a tense moment during a Virginia Senate session, Senator Danica Roem, the first transgender person to serve in the state legislature, stormed out of the chamber after being referred to as “sir” by Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears.
The incident occurred on Monday, Feb. 26 when Roem, a Democrat, questioned Lt. Gov. Sears about the number of votes needed to pass a bill with an emergency clause. Sears responded to Roem’s inquiry with:
“Yes, sir, that would be 32,” triggering Roem to abruptly leave the chamber.
Following the incident, Lt. Gov. Sears offered an apology during the session, expressing her intention to treat everyone with respect and dignity.
However, she did not specifically address referring to Roem by the lawmaker’s biological gender.
“I upset Sen. Roem,” Sears acknowledged, emphasizing her commitment to treating everyone with respect. “It is never my intention to make anyone offended,” she added, urging for kindness and graciousness in conducting legislative affairs.
Roem, who did not cast a vote in the subsequent roll call, has not responded to requests for comment on the incident.
The exchange highlights ongoing tensions over gender identity and respect in public discourse, underscoring the challenges faced by transgender individuals in political and social environments.
Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to Roem for comment but has not received a response.
