Know Your Rep: Becca Balint talks being out in Congress

"Anti-LGBTQ+ efforts from the Republican Party mean that many of her softball teammates will still "go on the floor of the House and vote against my interests," says Balint, who is an out lesbian. "They don't stand up for me, and that takes a toll.""

"A desire to stand up to Trump helped motivate Balint to seek office in the first place, she says. Now, the congresswoman says combating the president's agenda is guiding her push for reelection in November. "You have to wear a bunch of different hats," Balint says. That means policy work, communicating with constituents, and demanding answers from members of Trump's cabinet when not freely given."

"In February, for example, Balint pressed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Justice Department's approach to the Jeffrey Epstein files. Bondi, who has since been fired, accused Balint of fueling "anti-Semitic culture," despite the lawmaker being Jewish herself. After a heated exchange, Balint walked out of the room."

""I always try to keep my cool. Yet, sometimes, you have to express what you know Americans are feeling across the country, which is complete and total outrage," Balint says. "We have never had an administration like this that does not feel like it owes any of us in Congress answers. I always remind them: We're in Congress because we represent Americans.""

Congresswomen across party lines meet annually for a softball game that raises funds for breast cancer, but that camaraderie often does not carry into Capitol politics. An out lesbian congresswoman from Vermont says anti-LGBTQ+ efforts lead many teammates to vote against her interests, creating personal strain. She links her decision to seek office to opposition to President Donald Trump’s agenda and says reelection efforts focus on resisting his policies. Her work requires balancing policy, constituent communication, and demanding answers from cabinet officials. She describes pressing the Justice Department over Jeffrey Epstein files, facing accusations despite being Jewish herself, and walking out after a heated exchange. She emphasizes expressing public outrage and reminding officials that members of Congress represent Americans.

Read at Advocate.com