The head of one the country’s top medical schools sparked outrage after refusing to say that only women could get pregnant during a tense House hearing on Tuesday.
Dr. Sam Hawgood, chancellor of the University of California San Francisco, was pressed by Washington lawmakers over the school’s guidelines against using the term “pregnant women” while testifying about the impact of DEI initiatives in medical schools.
“Doctor Hawgood, you see UCSFs Classroom Guide, titled ‘Framework for Gender and Sex Concepts in Teaching,’ advises against using the term ‘pregnant women,’” Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois asked.
“Instead, it says to use ‘pregnant people.’ Who are ‘pregnant people’ compared to ‘pregnant women’? Just curious.”
“So, that is a part of a curriculum to help our students who are facing a wide diversity of patients,” Hawgood replied. “Of course, a vast majority of pregnancies are in women. And I have absolutely no problem with using the word pregnant women. I use it myself.”
Miller shot back, asking the doctor if a “non-biological” woman could ever become pregnant.
“A transgender person can,” Hawgood replied.
“That’s not a biological woman,” Miller responded, asking again if a “non-biological woman ever had a baby?”
“I would reiterate,” Hawgood started, before Miller interjected: “No, it’s ridiculous.”
“We take care of transgender patients,” the chancellor finished.
Rep. Randy Fine of Florida also had a testy exchange with Hawgood, asking the chancellor who can become pregnant besides women.
“It is possible for transgender people,” the doctor stated.
When Fine pressed further about the definition of a transgender woman, the chancellor shot back: “You heard what I said. They don’t recognize, transgender.”
The bizarre exchange came during an Education and Workforce committee hearing titled “Training Activists, Not Physicians: The Impact of DEI on Medical Schools.”
Miller later questioned asked Dr. Steve Dubinett, dean of the University of California Los Angeles’ David Geffen School of Medicine, whether someone can have a “uterus but not be a woman, because it seems like your school is promoting that ridiculous idea.”
Dubinett, citing Hawgood’s response, said that his school was “treating transgender people” and refused to answer “yes” or “no” when asked the question a second time.
The California Post contacted both universities for comment.
