DeSantis: ‘Can We Actually Agree That Women Get Pregnant and Not Men?’
July 14, 2022 Updated 3:57 P.M. ET
PALATKA (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis called it “unbelievable” that politicians in Washington are arguing over whether men can become pregnant.
The governor’s comments come after he was asked by a reporter what expanding “pro-life protections” looks like at a press conference Thursday.
“Some of the people in Washington, like, can we actually agree that women get pregnant and not men? Because they don’t seem to say that,” DeSantis asked before the crowd erupted in laughter.
“I mean, it’s just unbelievable some of the stuff that you’re hearing about,” he said.
DeSantis’ comments come two days after U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, questioned a University of California-Berkeley professor who repeatedly used the term “people with a capacity for pregnancy” during a hearing.
HAWLEY: “You’ve referred to people with a capacity for pregnancy. Would that be women?”
PROFESSOR: “Many women, cis women, have the capacity for pregnancy. Many cis women do not have the capacity for pregnancy. There are also trans men who are capable of pregnancy as well as non-binary people who are capable of pregnancy.”
HAWLEY: “So this isn’t really a women’s rights issue.”
PROFESSOR: “We can recognize that this impacts women while also recognizing that it impacts other groups. Those things are not mutually exclusive.”
July 12th hearing
Later on in the exchange, the professor said Senator Hawley’s line of questioning was “transphobic.”
During the Thursday press conference, Governor DeSantis continued to talk about the 15-week abortion ban legislation he signed. The abortion ban is in the state court’s system where the DeSantis administration believes the Florida Supreme Court will ultimately side in favor of the ban.
Florida’s 15-week abortion ban provide exceptions in cases where the mother’s life is in danger.
After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Governor DeSantis put out a statement saying Florida will “expand pro-life protections.” Since then, the governor has not elaborated on the phrase.
“Florida will continue to defend its recently-enacted pro-life reforms against state court challenges, will work to expand pro-life protections, and will stand for life by promoting adoption, foster care and child welfare,” DeSantis said June 24th.
DeSantis Says Florida Will ‘Expand Pro-Life Protections’ After Roe v. Wade Overturned
Florida House Democrat Leader-Designate Fentrice Driskell met with Vice President Kamala Harris along with other state legislators to discuss abortion rights in Florida Thursday.
“It is so important that the White House and that all of America pay attention to what is happening in Florida. We are a microcosm of our country and, I believe, the best indicator of what we can expect from Republicans in 2022 and 2024,” Driskell said.
