When asked about the term “birthing people,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra struggled to describe what it actually means.
In Biden’s recent budget proposal, the term was used instead of “mothers,” as reported by The Daily Wire.
Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma asked Becerra about the decision to include the term in his budget work instead of “mother.”
Lankford asked, “…can you help me get a good definition of ‘birthing people?’”
Becerra seemed to struggle to come up with an answer, instead using the term in the definition when he answered, “Well, I’ll check on the language there, but I think if we’re talking about those who give birth, I think we’re talking about — uh — I don’t know how else to explain it to you other than —”
Lankford said he was a little taken aback when he saw it and wanted to know if it was a direction in which Becerra was going, and if there are regulatory changes happening related to the decision.
Becerra said he would need to look at the language that was used in the budget, adding, “…I think it simply reflects the work that’s being done.”
Lankford acknowledged, “The language is important always. We don’t want to offend in our language. I get that, but would you at least admit calling a ‘mom’ a ‘birthing person’ could be offensive to some moms? … Can you at least admit that term itself could be offensive to some moms?”
Becerra again said that he would go back and look at the terminology that was used, but said, “we’re trying to be precise in the language that’s used.”
Lankford provided a mic-drop moment, saying, “‘Mom’s a pretty good word. That’s worked for a while, and I think that’s pretty precise, as well.”
The Biden administration has begun using the term “birthing people” in an apparent attempt to provide inclusivity to those who do not identify as “women,” but still give birth, further blurring the lines of distinction between the s*xes. As Lankford alluded to, however, demeaning women to the act of giving birth could be offensive to mothers who see their role as much broader than an act of biology.
This is an excerpt from The Daily Wire.
