Overview

• Rep. Nancy Mace used the slur 'tranny' during a confrontation with a transgender student, Harley Hicks, at a University of South Carolina Turning Point USA event.
• Mace posted a video of the incident on X, misgendering Hicks and alleging an attempted assault with a potted plant, a claim Hicks refuted as 'laughable.'
• This marks at least the third time Mace has used the slur publicly, following incidents on Capitol Hill in December 2024 and during a House Oversight Committee hearing in February 2025.
• The incident has reignited criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates and some lawmakers, highlighting Mace's history of controversial rhetoric and confrontational public exchanges.
• Mace's actions align with her broader political efforts to restrict transgender rights, including support for federal bathroom bans targeting transgender individuals.