For some in the Washington press corps, the news is rarely the real story. The real story is whatever Republicans are doing in reaction to it — the classic “Republicans pounce” cliche.

We saw this worn-out gimmick again this week when members of the press rushed to characterize Republican affirmation of standard bathroom etiquette as a shocking new offensive in the culture wars.

More specifically, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced this week that Congress would continue to follow the centuries-old norm that men should use the men’s room and women should use the ladies’ room.

“All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,” Johnson said. “Women deserve women’s only spaces … Let me be unequivocally clear: a man is a man, and a woman is a woman. And a man cannot become a woman."

In a normal, healthy society, such an announcement would confuse everyone. Well-adjusted people would wonder why the Speaker felt compelled to say something so obvious.

But it turns out Johnson’s announcement was not made without reason. Two weeks ago, Delawareans selected a transgender activist to represent them in the U.S. House. Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware, a biological male whose given name was........

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