Sen. Josh Hawley and a Berkeley law professor engaged in a heated argument over who can get pregnant during a Senate hearing on abortion Tuesday, with the teacher accusing the Republican of following a “transphobic” line of questioning.
The Missouri Republican was questioning Kiara Bridges at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the abortion restriction case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which prompted the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade last month.
The heated exchange began when Hawley said he wanted to “make one thing clear” and asked Bridges if he meant women when he used the phrase “people of childbearing potential.”
Bridges said that “a lot of women, cis women, have the ability to get pregnant. Many cis women do not have the ability to conceive. There are also trans men who are able to get pregnant, and non-binary people who are able to get pregnant.”
Is abortion a “women’s rights issue,” Hawley asked her.
Sen. Josh Hawley got into a heated argument with a Berkeley law professor over the use of the phrase “persons of childbearing potential” during a Senate hearing on abortion. C-SPAN
“We can recognize that it affects women while recognizing that it affects other groups, those things are not mutually exclusive, Senator Hawley,” said Bridges, who testified as an expert on race and reproductive rights.
The senator then asked what she thought was the “core of that right.”
“I want to admit that your line of questioning is transphobic,” she replied. “It opens up trans people to violence by not recognizing them.”
“Wow,” Hawley replied.
Kiara Bridges accused Hawley of “denying the existence of trans people” during the hearing. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
“You say I’m going to incite people to violence by asking if women are the people who can get pregnant,” he continued.
Bridges then pointed out that one in five transgender people have committed suicide, “so I think that’s important.”
“Because of my line of questioning?” Hawley asked. “So we can’t talk about it?”
“Because denying that trans people exist and pretending not to know they exist…” she said when Hawley interjected.
“I’m denying the existence of trans people by asking if you’re talking about women who are pregnant?” he said.
“Are you?” Bridges shot back, adding “So you believe men can’t get pregnant?”
“No, I don’t think men can get pregnant,” Hawley said.
“Then you deny the existence of trans people,” she said. “Thank you.”
“And that leads to violence?” Hawley asked.
He continued by asking Bridges “is this how you run your classroom. Are students allowed to question you?’
“In my class we have a good time. You should join,” she said.
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