Even before she had been sworn in as the first LGBTQ member of the House of Representatives from Washington state, queer Congressmember Emily Randall (D-Bremerton) was confronted by the transphobia of her new political colleagues. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) banned transgender people from using the bathroom corresponding with their gender when in the U.S. Capitol.
It was a response to the historic election of Democratic Delaware Congressmember Sarah McBride, the first trans person elected to serve on Capitol Hill. Randall, the first out Latina in Congress, wanted not only to show her solidarity with McBride, whom she had gotten to know during their orientation for new congressional members, but also for her constituents and anyone else coming to the U.S. Capitol complex and in need of using a restroom.
Thus, she and her staff worked up a sign to affix to the entranceway of her office in the Longworth House Office Building. Next to the door into her suite numbered 1531 on the fifth floor, visitors will find bright signage in rainbow colors declaring her private facilities an "All Gender Bathroom." In addition to symbols for men, women and gender-nonconforming individuals are ones for pregnant people, babies, and the disabled along with the donkey and elephant mascots for the country's two main political parties.
The bottom of the sign declares, "All are welcome to use our restroom regardless of gender identity or expression, political ideology or shoe size." Randall has made the sign available for use by all members of Congress, though her staff had told the Bay Area Reporter that none had done so to date.
"This is the House of Representatives. It is our job to represent the people and give them access to their government. If people want to come and lobby their member of Congress and push their policy agendas, they should be able to go to the bathroom here. And that includes transgender folks who are coming to lobby Congress," Randall, 39, told the B.A.R. during a video interview late last month.
At the time of the January 24 interview, Randall had yet to have a trans person take up usage of her bathroom. But she did have a Republican family from her House district happen to be in town to attend President Donald Trump's inauguration and ask about a restroom for their young son to use, to which she said he was welcome to utilize the one in her office.
Her allowing public access to her office's private bathroom harks back to her work as a Washington state senator in setting up lactation rooms available to parents of newborns in her home state's capitol building.
"I think our buildings should be accessible because they are the people's buildings. They are not just for us," noted Randall, who was elected a co-chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus for LGBTQ House members and their straight allies.
The anti-trans restroom policy adopted by her Republican colleagues wasn't the only rude welcome Randall has received since heading to Washington, D.C. With her having an active social media presence, particularly on Instagram, something she began as a state legislator, Randall has been taken aback by the increase in derogatory comments about her physical appearance she now receives as a member of Congress.
It wasn't something she was routinely subjected to when representing the Puget Sound region in the Washington Legislature. Yet, since becoming the holder of the Evergreen State's 6th District U.S. House seat, nasty comments about her looks are now common in the comments section of her online posts.
"I have been in public office for years and I thought I knew what negative comments on social media were like. I will just say I had no idea what the negative comments would be like as a member of Congress," said Randall, noting she was prepared for the blowback on her policy stances.
But swipes at her physical appearance, said Randall, are "not what you expect or what you should have to expect as a public official, or any human being should expect. Why should we talk about how people look?"
Highlighting the positive
She aims to highlight the positives and has begun a weekly feature on her Instagram page called "Six for the 6th" where she shines a light on six things people may have missed during the course of the week. The number two moment for the post that went up January 19 showcased her using her first speech on the House floor to denounce the transphobic House bill 28 dubbed the "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025."
It aims to permanently ban trans females from playing on women's athletic teams. Should it become law, H.R. 28 would generally prohibit school athletic programs from allowing individuals whose biological sex at birth was male to participate in programs that are for women or girls. (On February 5 Trump signed an executive order to do just that, though it can be rescinded by a future occupant of the Oval Office.)
Randall also has become a vocal opponent of the Trump administration and its various policies. She was quick to call out Trump's move to end birthright citizenship for the children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents, which has been blocked by a federal judge, as birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
She also has called out Trump "and unelected Elon Musk," the tech titan heading up the White House's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, as "a threat to our democracy and essential government programs our seniors, families, children, and veterans rely on."
For those impacted by the funding freeze Trump imposed on federal contracts, which have since been blocked by federal judges from taking effect, Randall and her staff set up a form for people to fill out and seek assistance from her office.
At the same time as she has tried to assuage the fears and concerns of her constituents, Randall has also attempted to manage their expectations. With Democrats in the minority in both chambers of Congress, they are limited in what actions they can take to block Trump, noted Randall in one recent post.
"Folks, I hear your terror and frustration that your elected leaders aren't doing anything fast enough. A lot of the actions that can/are being taken most rapidly are lawsuits – in the courts on behalf of impacted parties, by unions, ACLU, state attorneys general, etc.," wrote Randall. "The truth is, Democrats in the House minority don't have "standing" to sue on many of these atrocities. Our committee leadership is coordinating with/supporting outside efforts wherever possible."
Asked what her message is particularly for LGBTQ Americans, Randall told the B.A.R. that they deserve to have a sense of safety and security like anyone else in the country and intends to fight to see that they do.
"We may not have the majority right now, but we are going to keep fighting to bend the moral arc of the universe towards justice," pledged Randall, who acknowledged the frightening atmosphere and uncertainty currently being felt by many Americans, whether they be LGBTQ, immigrants, or part of any marginalized community.
"I would say I see you and I understand that it is scary. We are living in scary times," she said. "I will also say states like Washington, Oregon, and California are doing really important work. They are doing really important work to protect our neighbors, all of our neighbors."
Working with colleagues
Randall's victory last November made Washington the second West Coast state to have out representation in Congress. California's two gay Democratic Congressmembers, Robert Garcia of Long Beach and Mark Takano of Riverside, had both endorsed her House candidacy.
Now Randall is not only serving alongside them but also closely working with them in the Congressional Equality Caucus. Garcia is also a co-chair, while Takano was elected its chair this session.
"It has been a pleasure to welcome Congresswoman Emily Randall as a co-chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus," Takano stated to the B.A.R. "Rep. Randall is an accomplished state legislator and a dedicated advocate for her constituents. I know she will play a vital role in helping us advance LGBTQI+ equality and holding the Trump Administration accountable, especially as a member of the Oversight Committee."
A former Oakland resident with in-laws who live on the Peninsula south of San Francisco, Randall was born and raised in Port Orchard on Washington's Kitsap Peninsula. She and her partner of 19 years, Alison Leahey, a carpenter in the construction field, own a home in Bremerton.
The women first met at Wellesley College in Massachusetts and eventually moved together out west, settling in West Oakland. Leahey's sister and her family reside in the Bay Area.
Back in 2015 and 2016 Randall had managed institutional partnerships for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. She left to work for Planned Parenthood.
In 2017, with Leahey working at the time for Microsoft, the women had relocated to Washington state. Upset by Trump's election as president in 2016, Randall decided to seek public office herself.
With her win seven years ago to the 26th Senate District in her state Legislature, Randall became the first Latina elected to represent it. Claire Wilson, a lesbian who grew up in Seattle, also won a Senate seat that November.
They became the first out women elected to their Legislature's upper chamber and both won second terms in 2022. Wilson endorsed Randall in the House race.
As a freshman member of Congress, Randall is serving on the House Committee on Natural Resources and Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. She is also on subcommittees for Indian and Insular Affairs, Federal Lands, Health Care and Financial Services, and Government Operations.
She was thrilled with the assignments, especially since she represents a district known for its natural scenic wonders but dealing with the impacts of climate change. There are also a dozen federally-recognized American Indian tribes with lands in her district, and a total of 29 sovereign nations throughout her state.
"In the 119th Congress, Oversight Committee Democrats will face an important task: fighting to make life easier for everyday Americans and holding the incoming administration accountable. I'll lead by example and always keep the issues most important to working people in my community front and center," stated Randall last month after being named to the committees by her party's minority leader Congressmember Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
Speaking to the B.A.R. last month, Randall had expressed optimism at still being able to make a difference during her first term.
"It is an honor, exciting, and also kind of scary right now in this political moment," she said. "Since I came for orientation the week after the election, I keep thinking how I feel more optimistic than I thought I would on election night."
She added that, "I think about being united as a Democratic Party and serving alongside so many folks who, like me, want to make a difference for their constituents."
Randall also is hopeful of being able to work with her colleagues across the aisle in areas where they agree on.
"I have gotten to know many freshmen Republicans who I think also want to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve," she said. "I am hopeful there will be enough of us who want to do as much good as we can so we are able to pass some bipartisan policy that really does lower the cost of living, makes health care accessible, especially in rural communities, and makes housing more accessible and affordable."
Yet she is also realistic about the political environment she finds herself in.
"Time will tell if Republicans are looking for those opportunities to work together on making life easier to live for our neighbors or if they are going to focus entirely on villainizing people who want to use the bathroom and get health care access," said Randall.
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