Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Tuesday he believed “a man is a man and a woman is a woman” amid controversy about a measure that would ban transgender women from women’s bathrooms on the House side of the Capitol.

But he added: “I also believe that we treat everybody with dignity, and so we can do and believe all those things at the same time.”

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is pushing the effort as Rep.-elect Sarah McBride is set to assume office in January as the first openly transgender member of Congress. Mace wants the measure approved as part of the House rules, but has threatened to force a vote if leadership doesn’t agree to include it.

Johnson has been noncommittal on how he plans to handle Mace’s effort. But it’s drawn fierce criticism from Democratic leaders.

“The notion that this incoming small House Republican conference majority is beginning transition to the new Congress by bullying a member of Congress — this is what we’re doing? This is the lesson that you’ve drawn from the election in November? This is your priority?” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.