First openly trans politician in Congress has blunt response to Trump's controversial executive order

Sarah McBride - the first transgender individual to become an elected member of US Congress - has spoken openly against a series of 'anti-LGBTQ+' policies recently signed by President Donald Trump.

Speaking at the HRC Greater New York Dinner on Monday (3 Feb), the politician jibed about LGBTQ+ individuals living 'rent free in the minds' of Republican leaders working in Trump's administration, while making a powerful point about America's future.

Trump's LGBTQ+ policies so far

Since his inauguration, Trump has put several executive orders into place - the first of which ruled the government would recognise 'only two genders' - male and female - adding these are 'not changeable'.

The order also pledges to bring to an end 'wasteful' government programmes which promote diversity and inclusivity, as well as 'defending women from gender ideology extremism'.

In the days that followed, Trump also revoked the 1965 Equal Employment Opportunity Act, which previously promoted opportunities for women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people and other underrepresented groups within society.

Marco Rubio - the father-of-five's newly-appointed Secretary of State - has also removed the opportunity for transgender and non-binary individuals to define their gender as 'X' on passport application forms.

The Department of State went on to ban any consular post from flying a flag that bares anything other than the official flag of the United States of America - including the Gay Pride and Black Lives Matter flags.

Trump signed several orders (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Last week, Trump signed an executive order to protect children from 'chemical and surgical mutilation'.

And just yesterday (5 February), he implemented a new piece of legislation that bans transgender athletes competing on women's sport teams, also announcing plans to deny federal funds for schools that allow it.

Sarah McBride speaks out

McBride - who, last month, made history as the first ever transgender individual to take oath in Washington D.C. and be sworn into Congress - has had a lot to say in response to Trump's recently implemented policies.

The 34-year-old Delaware representative spoke on a podium at a HRC Greater New York Dinner earlier this week where she discussed her mission to save the lives of LGBTQ+ Americans.

"I enter Congress at a moment of uncertainty and fear for so many in our country - a time that will test our Constitution, our progress, and our own very compassion," she began.

"In less than two weeks at a time of domestic and global crisis - this new administration has diverted the resources of the federal government to target transgender people.

McBride became the first openly trans politician to be elected to Congress earlier this year (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

"From day one, they have taken steps to require the forced outing of transgender people with government documents and records."

Discussing Trump's specific policies, McBride reminded attendees: "They're infringing on parental rights by inserting government between patients, parents and providers in order to hurt trans young people.

"They're purging patriotic transgender service members who have met the same standards as their colleagues, who have dedicated their lives to something that is antithetical to this president - selfless public service."

She continued: "He's deputised Republican politicians and appointees across the federal government to be bathroom police, banning transgender people from federal restrooms they were using without incident.

"As we say then, these bans open up all women to harassment and potentially gross and invasive inspections."

'They're obsessed - we live rent free in their minds'

Touching on other changes the new Trump administration will implement, McBride went on: "They're censoring content and freezing funding to make sure words like 'transgender' aren't included in any federally funded programme.

"They're threatening to gut public education if schools dare support LGBTQ students. All in less than two weeks."

The politician went on to quip: "They're obsessed - we live rent free in their minds."

Speaking about the future of the States, McBride encouraged attendees to 'fight smarter'.

"We have to be clear-eyed about the need to return to the basics of inviting people in to open hearts and changed minds.

"We have to grapple with the reality of where people are beyond this room or this city or my state. Meeting people where they are is not selling out - it's what this work is."

She went on to implore: "We have to pull back the curtain on the fact that they are using trans people as pawns in the broader effort to gut the federal government, in order to line the pockets of Donald Trump's best friends, all at the expense of working people.

"I refuse to be used as a pawn. I refuse to give them that power, and I refuse to let them get away with it."