Transgender Va. Senator Storms Out Of Chamber After Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears Calls Him 'Sir'

A transgender Virginia state senator left a meeting in the chamber Monday after Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears referred to him as "sir."

Sen. Danica Roem asked Earle-Sears a question about House Bill 592, which has to do with "emergency regulations related to prescription drug price transparency." Don't let the name fool you. Roem is a male pretending to be a woman, and the first transgender to be elected to office in Virginia. 

Roem wanted to know exactly how many votes were necessary to pass this bill with the emergency clause.

Winsome-Sears responded with that number (32), but called Roem (a biological male) "sir" in the process. She called him that because, well, Roem is male. 

Immediately after Winsome-Sears responded to the question, Roem stormed out of the building, furious that someone would dare refer to him with a word reflecting his biological gender.

Mind you, Roem is 39 years old. But as soon as he heard "sir," he stormed off like a child who's just been told he can't have dessert for breakfast. Aren’t the people in charge of our state governments supposed to be more mature than that?

Winsome-Sears did not apologize for her remarks immediately. But after a second recess session, she offered an agitated apology.

She first highlighted how many in the Democratic party did not offer her - a Republican - any respect during her run for office.

"I myself have at times not been afforded that same respect and dignity," she said. 

She then added that it was not her intent to offend with her words.

"In this body, as long as I am president of the senate, and by the grace of God, I will be treated with respect and dignity. And I will treat everyone else with respect and dignity," she said. "We are all equal under the law. I apologize, and I would hope everyone would understand there's no intent to offend."

After this interaction, Roem said he did not plan on offering a statement immediately. Obviously, he needs time to recover from this incredibly traumatic event.