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Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on Monday misgendered Sen. Danica Roem on the Senate of Virginia floor, leading Democrats to push the body to recess before an apology was offered.
Earle-Sears, a Republican, referred to Roem, a transgender woman, as “sir” when the senator asked questions about a piece of legislation.
Roem quietly and immediately left the chamber after the “sir” remark, according to The Center Square news outlet. After a few moments, several other senators also rose and left, The Center Square reported. Sears tried to continue with the agenda but obliged when Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, requested a recess.
The lieutenant governor offered an apology once the body returned from recess, saying “it was never my intention to make anyone offended, and I hope that others would consider that they would try not to offend me as well. We are all equal under the law. And so I apologize.”
Earle-Sears called on the Senate to accept her apology. A spokesperson with the lieutenant governor’s office declined to comment beyond Earle-Sears’ remarks on the floor.
Roem, a Democrat from western Prince William County, declined to comment on the situation.
Prince William County Supervisor Yesli Vega, a Republican representing the Coles District, in a tweet seemingly endorsed the misgendering of Roem.
“To honor black history month, Virginia’s first black female Lt. Governor gets attacked by unhinged liberals for calling a spade a spade,” Vega said. “You don’t matter to the Democrat Party unless you walk, think, & talk like them.”
Roem in 2018 became the first openly transgender person to serve in a state legislature in U.S. history.
