Senate Hearing Sparks Controversy Over Gender and Pregnancy

A recent Senate hearing has generated significant online attention after a Georgia-based OB-GYN’s remarks on whether biological men can become pregnant. This discussion unfolded during a session of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee focused on chemical abortion drugs.

Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri engaged in a nearly five-minute dialogue with Dr. Nisha Verma, a senior advisor with Physicians for Reproductive Health, where the topic of men’s ability to get pregnant arose. Initially, Verma sidestepped a direct response to Senator Ashley Moody’s inquiry about the issue, preferring to clarify her title as “Dr. Verma.” However, Hawley was determined not to let her evade the question again.

“Do you think that men can get pregnant?” Hawley pressed.

“I hesitated there because I wasn’t sure where the conversation was going or what the goal was. I mean, I take care of patients with diverse identities… that’s where I paused. I think… I wasn’t sure where you were going with that,” Verma replied cautiously.

“The goal is just the truth, so can men get pregnant?” Hawley rephrased.

Verma still hesitated, stating her uncertainty about Hawley’s intent. He reminded her, “The goal is just to establish a biological reality. You just said a moment ago that ‘science and evidence should control, not politics.’ So, can men get pregnant?”

Surprisingly, Verma indicated that she cared for individuals of various identities, though she mentioned many women can get pregnant as well.

“I totally agree, science and evidence should guide medicine…” she said.

“Do science and evidence tell us that men can get pregnant? Biological men—can they get pregnant?” Hawley followed up.

In response, Verma argued that yes/no questions serve as political devices. But Hawley countered, stressing, “Yes/no questions are about the truth, Doctor. Let’s not make a mockery of this proceeding.” He reiterated his question, which he had asked multiple times.

Verma then characterized Hawley’s approach as oversimplifying her patients’ experiences and blending the distinctions between male and female with those of men and women. She suggested a more nuanced discussion instead.

“For the record, it’s women who get pregnant, not men,” Hawley affirmed, emphasizing that the hearing aimed to protect women from potentially dangerous medication. “You won’t even acknowledge the basic reality that biological men don’t get pregnant. There’s a distinction between biological men and biological women.”

He further stated, “It is not polarizing to say that women are a biological reality and should be treated and protected as such. That is not polarizing, that is truth.”

Throughout the hearing, Hawley persisted in his inquiry, asking if men could get pregnant twelve times overall. His questioning coincided with continued criticisms from pro-life groups concerning the FDA’s recent approval of mifepristone, one of the drugs used in early abortion procedures. Activists have voiced concerns about both its implications for fetal life and potential health risks for mothers. In light of this, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary agreed to investigate its safety further.

It’s worth noting that nearly two-thirds of abortions across the United States are completed through the use of medication like mifepristone.