Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), who rose to national prominence when she ran for the Democrat presidential nomination in 2020, recently went against her party by introducing two House bills.

The first, H.R. 8923, will amend Title 18 of the United States code and will ensure that abortionists provide life-saving medical care to babies born alive after failed abortions. Currently, the text for the bill is not available online, but it is similar to others that have been introduced by Republicans.

There’s also H.R. 8932 or the “Protect Women’s Sports Act,” which would ban transgender women – biological men – from participating in women’s sports. On Twitter, Gabbard explains, “My ‘Protect Women’s Sports Act’ simply protects the rights and interests of girls and women who participate in sports so they can compete on a level playing field. Denying biological differences between men and women undermines the reason why Title IX was created in the first place.”

In an official statement, Gabbard also said, “Title IX was a historic provision championed by Hawaii’s own Congresswoman Patsy Mink in order to provide equal opportunity for women and girls in high school and college sports. It led to a generational shift that impacted countless women, creating life-changing opportunities for girls and women that never existed before. However, Title IX is being weakened by some states who are misinterpreting Title IX, creating uncertainty, undue hardship and lost opportunities for female athletes.”

Both of these bills go against her party’s platform, which promotes abortion at any stage in pregnancy and one that has fully embraced the transgender movement, including having biological men who identify as transgender compete against biological women.

Of course, standing up for the rights of women and babies that have been victimized by abortion comes at a cost. Since announcing these bills, Gabbard has been the victim of online hate, especially from the LGBT community.

Charlotte Clymer, a prominent LGBTQ activist, said, “Tulsi Gabbard is now introducing a blatantly transphobic piece of legislation aimed at trans and non-binary young people.”

GLAAD chief program officer Zeke Stokes tweeted, “Remember when Tulsi Gabbard tried to convince us she was an LGBTQ ally? We knew she was a liar, a fraud. Here’s the proof.”

Adam Best, an actor from the U.K., wrote on Twitter, “Tulsi Gabbard has a history of discrimination against the LGBTQ community so this is awful but not surprising. Glad she is leaving Congress. Good riddance!”

He’s referring to Gabbard’s work with her father’s organization in Hawaii, which sought to amend the state’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

As Gabbard announced earlier this year that she is not seeking a second term, these bills could be a sign that Gabbard wants to leave a lasting legacy once she leaves office.

Though she’s received a lot of flak for the bills online, she has received a fair amount of support as well.

Retired football star Benjamin Watson wrote on Twitter, “Thank you Tulsi Gabbard for protecting and advocating for young women across this country, including my three daughters. #LeadersLead.”

It’s commendable that Gabbard has made this very public stand for the rights of biological women in sports and babies who struggle to live after a failed abortion. There’s no doubt that these bills will be pursued by House Republicans in the coming year.

Photo from BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS