A nasty feud is playing out in the halls of the US Capitol building after controversial Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene hung a sign outside her office mocking Democrat Marie Newman, who had displayed a trans pride flag next to her office door.
Ms Greene received widespread backlash after she tweeted a video of herself hanging the sign which read: "There are TWO genders: Male & Female. Trust The Science!"
The provocative video appeared to be in response to a similar video posted by Ms Newman, whose daughter is transgender, in which she is seen hanging the trans pride flag outside her door, directly across the hall from Ms Greene's office.
Ms Newman posted the video on Thursday alongside a caption calling out the Republican representative for attempting to block new anti-discrimination legislation.
"Our neighbour, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, tried to block the Equality Act because she believes prohibiting discrimination against trans Americans is ‘disgusting, immoral, and evil'," she wrote.
"Thought we’d put up our Transgender flag so she can look at it every time she opens her door.”
Hours later, Ms Greene posted the video of the sign with the caption: "Our neighbour, Representative Marie Newman, wants to pass the so-called ‘Equality’ Act to destroy women’s rights and religious freedoms. Thought we’d put up ours so she can look at it every time she opens her door.
The Equality Act passed the US House of Representatives on Friday, amending the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in addition to race, religion, sex, and national origin.
Three Republicans broke ranks to vote with Democrats in favour of the legislation, which will soon be debated in the Senate.
Speaking in favour of the amendments, Ms Newman told the House of Representatives: "I rise today on behalf of the millions of Americans who continue to be denied housing, education, public services and much, much more because they identify as members of the LGBTQ community."
"Americans like my own daughter, who years ago bravely came out to her parents as transgender," she continued.
Responding to a tweet of the speech on Twitter, Ms Greene referred to Ms Newman's daughter as her "biological son" prompting national LGBTIQ+ advocacy organisation Human Rights Campaign to state: "Trans kids have a higher risk of attempting suicide because they so often encounter people who deny their humanity".
"We are sending our love to Representative Marie Newman and her daughter," they said in a statement on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Democratic congressman Sean Casten took aim at Ms Greene, tweeting: "A certain member of Congress with hatred in her heart and an inflated ego is looking for attention today. Ignore her."
Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger also took aim at Ms Greene, describing the video and sign as representing "the hate and fame driven politics of self-promotion at all costs".
"I'm sad and I'm sorry this happened," he said. "This garbage must end".
Ms Greene has recently come under fire for promoting the QAnon conspiracy theory and extremist views in the wake of the 6 January attack on the Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump.
Earlier this month, the House of Representatives voted to strip Ms Greene of her profile committee assignments as .
Ms Greene , however, describing them as "words of the past".
"These things do not represent me, they do not represent my [congressional] district and they do not represent my values," she said.
Like this story? Here's where else you can find SBS News content and follow us:
SBS also publishes news in 68 languages online and on radio. Find your language at .
