Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush is being mocked for calling mothers as 'birthing people'. Bush in her speech before the Congress told the painful story of how she was ignored by doctors when she was pregnant and in pain. Later, she also tweeted: 'Every day, Black birthing people and our babies die because our doctors don't believe our pain."
Bush was not only criticized by Republicans but also some of her supporters objected to the terminology. Bush used the term 'birthing people' when she was testifying in a House committee hearing on birthing, while examining America's black maternal health crisis. The hearing was held to address what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describe as 'wide racial/ethnic gaps' in maternal mortality.
Speaking on the occasion, Bush said, that doctor just dismissed her concerns and both her children - her son Zion [now 21], and daughter Angel, [now 20] - were born extremely premature.
"I sit before you today as a single mom, as a nurse, as an activist, congresswoman, and I am committed to doing the absolute most to protect black mothers, to protect black babies, to protect black birthing people, and to save lives. My children almost became a statistic. I almost became a statistic. I testified about my experience today," Bush said.
Gender-Inclusive Language?
She ended her speech with "Hear us. Believe us. Because for so long, nobody has." As some objected to the use of the term birthing people, Bush justified it by saying that she was using a gender-inclusive language. "Republicans got more upset about me using gender-inclusive language in my testimony than my babies nearly dying. Racism and transphobia in America," Bush said.
Disappointed by the usage of the term, Fox News' Tucker Carlson asked if Bush was referring to mothers when she said birthing people. He sarcastically said that the word mother has been banned as it is too sexist! He said that the term birthing people was dehumanizing.
Nancy Mace, a South Carolina congresswoman, tweeted: '"Birthing people" - you mean women or moms? The left is so woke they're stripping from women the one thing that only we can do," Mace said. Steve Cortes gave mother's day a new title and said that it must be renamed as Birthing Peoples' Day.'
Daily Mail reported even Bush's supporters expressed their disappointment. One of the supporters is said to have told, "I'm all about inclusivity, but being afraid to use the term 'woman' like it's a four letter word is going too far." The other one told, "Please do not ever refer to me as a birthing person.
But Cori Bush won the support of pro-choice group NARAL. The group tweeted, "When we talk about birthing people, we're being inclusive. It's that simple. 'Reproductive freedom is for *every* body."
