Story perspectives

Senator Hawley Challenges Dr. Verma on Pregnancy and Gender

1/15/2026

Summary

Story summary

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) pressed Dr. Nisha Verma in a Senate hearing on abortion pills to address whether men can get pregnant.
Verma avoided a direct answer, saying such questions are political tools.
Hawley insisted that only biological females can get pregnant and criticized the refusal to acknowledge this fact as damaging to science and public trust.
The exchange highlighted a dispute over gender identity and biological definitions in discussions.

History

Historical Context

In May 2016, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance affirming transgender students' rights to use facilities matching their gender identity, impacting over 10,000 public schools. However, this guidance faced backlash, leading to its withdrawal in February 2017 under the Trump administration, reflecting ongoing societal tensions over gender identity and influencing subsequent legislation and public opinion on reproductive rights and identity.

1 of 2

Story summary

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) pressed Dr. Nisha Verma in a Senate hearing on abortion pills to address whether men can get pregnant.
Verma avoided a direct answer, saying such questions are political tools.
Hawley insisted that only biological females can get pregnant and criticized the refusal to acknowledge this fact as damaging to science and public trust.
The exchange highlighted a dispute over gender identity and biological definitions in discussions.

1 / 2