On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing examining America since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The hearing featured witnesses on both sides of the abortion debate who discussed what they’ve witnessed in the 18 days since the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe.
One thing both sides appeared to agree on during the hearing is that the violence seen across the country since the leak of the Supreme Court’s decision needs to stop.
“The violence has been overwhelming that we have sustained,” testified Heidi Matzke, executive director of Alternatives Pregnancy Center in Sacramento, CA.
In recent weeks pro-abortion rights groups have firebombed and vandalized crisis pregnancy centers around the country that offer free healthcare for pregnant women and support for mothers and babies after birth.
“We have been forced to expend valuable resources, resources for women, of up to $150,000, just to protect ourselves,” continued Matzke.
Abortion activists argued they’ve been targeted by protestors, too, who blockade access to their clinics.
“I absolutely condemn violence against everyone including abortion providers,” said Dr. Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, MO.
They also claimed that overturning Roe will lead to an increase in America’s maternal mortality rate.
“People will suffer unnecessary harm as doctors wait for permission from hospital lawyers,” testified McNicholas.
Pro-life witnesses asserted that patients given the abortion pill are not prepared for what comes next.
Matzke recounted the story of a young woman who claimed her parents forced her to take the abortion pill, sending her into a painful labor while she was alone in her bathroom.
“At one point she said she looked down and what they told her was a clump of cells was a fully formed baby laying on the floor,” recalled Matzke. “This is not healthcare.”
In a heated exchange during the hearing, UC Berkeley Law Professor Khiara Bridges accused Republican Sen. Josh Hawley (MO) of being transphobic when he asked her why she used the phrase “people with a capacity for pregnancy” in place of women.
“You’ve referred to people with a capacity for pregnancy – would that be women?” asked Hawley.
“Many cis women have the capacity for pregnancy, many cis women do not have the capacity for pregnancy,” responded Bridges. “There are also trans men who are capable of pregnancy as well as nonbinary people who are capable of pregnancy.”
Bridges continued, “I want to recognize that your line of questioning is transphobic and it opens up trans people to violence by not recognizing them.”
“You’re saying I’m opening up people to violence by asking whether or not women can have pregnancies?” asked Hawley.
“Denying trans people exist and pretending that they don’t exist is dangerous,” claimed Bridges.
“I’m denying that trans people exist by asking you if you’re talking about women as the people having pregnancies?” questioned Hawley.
“Do you believe that men can get pregnant?” responded Bridges.
“No, I don’t think men can get pregnant,” Hawley replied.
“So you are denying that trans people exist,” concluded Bridges.
Dr. Bridges also testified that abortion proponents don’t just want abortion access codified into law, they also want Congress to do away with the Hyde Amendment, which prevents taxpayer dollars from funding abortion.
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