Politics in D.C. has always been a bit of a blood sport, but things reached a fever pitch on a random Thursday night in May 2024. Most of the country was winding down, but the House Oversight Committee was just getting started. What was supposed to be a standard, albeit tense, markup session about holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress spiraled into something else entirely. It wasn't about law or policy anymore. Honestly, it felt more like a scene from a reality TV reunion that had gone off the rails.
The primary players? Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ve probably seen the clip. The "bleach blonde bad-built butch body" line. It’s the kind of phrase that stays in your head whether you want it to or not. But beyond the viral soundbite, the exchange sparked a massive debate about decorum, race, and even the linguistic history of the word "butch."
The Spark: "Fake Eyelashes" and Parliamentary Chaos
The night was already long. A group of Republicans had spent the day in New York City supporting Donald Trump at his hush-money trial, delaying the hearing until 8:00 PM. Everyone was tired. Tensions were high.
Crockett asked a fairly straightforward question about the purpose of the hearing. Greene, never one to de-escalate, shot back. "I don't think you know what you're here for," she said, before adding the line that lit the match: "I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you're reading."
The room exploded.
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Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jumped in immediately. "That is absolutely unacceptable!" she shouted, demanding that Greene’s words be stricken from the record. There was a lot of yelling. Chairman James Comer, who later admitted his hearing aids made the cross-talk difficult to manage, struggled to maintain any semblance of order.
The "Butch" Remark Explained
After a long, messy deliberation on parliamentary rules, Comer ruled that Greene's comment didn't actually violate the rules against personal attacks. This is the crucial context most people miss. Crockett didn't just start hurling insults out of nowhere. She was testing the boundaries of that specific ruling.
She leaned into the microphone and asked a "hypothetical" question. "I'm just curious, just to better understand your ruling," Crockett began. "If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach blonde, bad-built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?"
It was a masterclass in using the rules to fight back. She didn't technically call Greene those things—she asked if saying those things would be allowed. But the message was received. The "B6" phrase, as it’s now known, was born right there in the Rayburn House Office Building.
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Why the Word "Butch" Caused a Stir
While many of Crockett's supporters cheered the "clapback," the use of the word butch didn't sit right with everyone. In the LGBTQ+ community, "butch" is a specific identity. It’s often a point of pride for masculine-presenting lesbians.
Activists like Tiera M. Craig pointed out that using the word as a pejorative—even against someone like Greene, who has a history of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric—can feel like collateral damage. It suggests that having a "butch" body is a negative trait. Crockett later clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that she meant no harm to the community and would always "stand 10 toes down" with them.
Greene, for her part, leaned into her fitness persona. She posted workout videos to prove she was "built and strong," claiming her physique was the result of hard work, not "nips and tucks." It was a classic political pivot: turning a critique of your appearance into a badge of honor.
The Aftermath: Viral Merch and the Race Factor
Crockett didn't just let the moment fade away. She trademarked the phrase and started selling "Crockett Clapback Collection" t-shirts to raise money for House Democrats. It was a savvy move in the modern attention economy.
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But there’s a deeper layer here. Crockett specifically called out the "fake eyelashes" comment as racist. She argued that Black women’s appearances are constantly scrutinized in professional settings. By attacking her lashes—a common style choice for many Black women—Greene was tapping into a long history of policing Black women's bodies.
The silence from the Republican side of the aisle regarding Greene's initial insult, contrasted with the immediate calls for Crockett to "calm down," didn't go unnoticed. Representative Anna Paulina Luna told Crockett she was "out of control," to which Crockett famously replied, "Don't tell me to calm down because y'all talk noise and then you can't take it."
What We Can Learn from the Chaos
This wasn't just a playground spat. It was a reflection of how broken political discourse has become. When the rules of decorum are applied inconsistently, people are going to find creative—and often biting—ways to push back.
If you're following these kinds of political developments, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Watch the full clip: Soundbites are designed to go viral, but the "lawyerly" way Crockett framed her retort matters for understanding the parliamentary context.
- Contextualize the language: Understand that words like "butch" carry heavy historical weight, and using them in political barbs often has unintended consequences for marginalized groups.
- Follow the money: In 2026, viral moments are almost always monetized. Look at how both sides used the "B6" moment for fundraising and brand building.
- Look at the rules: The House Oversight Committee's inability to manage its own members is a signal of larger structural issues in Congress that go beyond just two individuals.
The "bleach blonde bad-built butch body" moment will likely be remembered as one of the most surreal exchanges in congressional history. Whether you see it as a necessary defense or a race to the bottom, it's a clear marker of the current political climate.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
To get a better handle on how these interactions affect actual policy, you should track the House Oversight Committee’s official transcripts. Often, the most important legislative work happens in the minutes before or after these viral blowups. You can also look into the "Decorum in the House" guidelines to see exactly how members are supposed to behave versus how they actually do.