Senate Hearing Clash on Gender in Abortion Pill Debate

During a U.S. Senate hearing on the safety of abortion pills, an obstetrician-gynecologist testifying as a Democratic witness engaged in a prolonged exchange with Republican senators who pressed her on whether men can get pregnant. The confrontation, which unfolded Wednesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, highlighted tensions between biological definitions and inclusive language in discussions of reproductive health.

The hearing, titled "Protecting Women: Exposing the Dangers of Chemical Abortion Drugs," examined the risks associated with medication abortion, including the drug mifepristone. Lawmakers raised concerns about potential misuse, such as coercion in obtaining the pills through mail-order programs, and adverse health effects reported in some cases. Dr. Nisha Verma, a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health who provides care in Georgia and Massachusetts, testified in support of expanded access to these medications. She emphasized that science and evidence, rather than politics, should guide medical practice.

The questioning began when Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody asked Verma directly if men can get pregnant, in the...