Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Wednesday asserted that more than just “women” can menstruate, defending her use of the term “menstruating people.”
“Not just women! Trans men & non-binary people can also menstruate,” Ocasio-Cortez exclaimed, defending her use of the term.
“Some women also *don’t* menstruate for many reasons, including surviving cancer that required a hysterectomy,” she continued.
“GOP mad at this are protecting the patriarchal idea that women are most valuable as uterus holders,” the New York lawmaker added, continuing to tell people to “grow up” because “trans, two-spirit, and non-binary people have always existed and will always exist”:
Trans, two-spirit, and non-binary people have always existed and will always exist.
People can stay mad about that if they want, or they can grow up ✌️ ️⚧️
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 8, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez is far from the only high-profile figure purportedly devoted to “science” to use broad terms to refer to female-only functions, such as menstruating or becoming pregnant.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for example, provided an update for coronavirus vaccinations for pregnant women on August 11, although the federal health agency repeatedly used the phrase “pregnant people,” despite the fact that there are only two biological sexes and only females can become pregnant with a child.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky has also used the phrase.
“For pregnant people who are at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, we are strengthening our guidance and recommending that all pregnant people or people thinking about becoming pregnant get vaccinated,” she said during a press briefing last month.
The Biden administration, too, has welcomed the broad terms, replacing the word “mothers” with “birthing people” in a budget proposal over the summer.
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