Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., revealed her child is gender non-conforming during emotional testimony in the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
Jayapal was speaking in support of the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination against the LGBTQ community and increase non-discrimination protections for women.
“The only thought I wake up with everyday is, ‘My child is free. My child is free to be who they are,’” said Jayapal, who teared up while speaking during the bill’s first hearing.
Jayapal said during her testimony that she hadn’t been planning to share that information but wanted to explain why the legislation was so personal to her.
The congresswoman, who represents the 7th District including parts of Seattle, said that her now 22-year-old came out to her last year and since then has embraced their new identity as gender non-conforming.
While Jayapal says she has always pushed for civil rights, she now has a new perspective as a mother who had witnessed their child experience freedom in their identity. Drawing from that, she urged other lawmakers to ensure others could feel that freedom too.
“In that freedom comes responsibility for us as legislators to protect that freedom to be who they are and…to legislate our behavior towards all people in our society,” Jayapal said.