Senator Accused of "Opening up Violence" over Stating that Women Get Pregnant

By: Ophelia Garrett

In Brief: 

During a Senate hearing on the future of abortion in a post Roe v. Wade world, 
Khiara Bridges, a professor in family law as well as reproductive rights and justice at Berkeley, repeatedly used the term “people with a capacity for pregnancy​.​” When questioned whether she meant “women” by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), Bridges accused Senator Hawley of “opening up violence” against trans people. 

The Background:

During the heated exchange between Senator Hawley and Bridges, Hawley asked if abortion is a women’s right issue, since Bridges insisted not only women  are able to conceive and give birth. Instead, she accused him of opening up violence. "I want to recognize that your line of questioning is transphobic, and it opens up trans people to violence by not recognizing them," said Bridges, stating​​ "trans men and non-binary people were also capable of pregnancy.”

"Wow, you're saying that I'm opening up people to violence by asking whether or not women are the only folks who can have pregnancies?" Hawley asked.

Professor Bridges continued to insist that abortion bans could bring harm to "people with a capacity for pregnancy."

 “So you believe that men cannot get pregnant?”asked Prof Bridges.
“No, I don’t think that men can get pregnant,” Hawley said. 
“Then you are denying that trans people exist,” she said.

Notable Quotes:

"The Democrats say what they really think: men can get pregnant and if you disagree, you are 'transphobic' and responsible for violence,"  Sen Hawley (R-MO).