NOT THE ONION: Dem Lawmaker Proposes Punishing ‘Cisgender Men’ With Forced Sterilization
As retribution for legislative efforts to restrict abortion, a Democratic Pennsylvania state representative has promoted a bill that would punish “cisgender men” with state-mandated vasectomies.
WHAT HAPPENED
State Rep. Chris Rabb sent a memo to members of Philadelphia’s House of Representatives Saturday saying he was introducing legislation to “require all inseminators to undergo vasectomies within 6 weeks from having their third child or 40th birthday, whichever comes first.”
I will be introducing a bill inspired by @RepKellyCassidy that requires all inseminators to undergo #vasectomies within 6 weeks of having their third child or 40th birthday, whichever comes first. /1
Additionally, . . .#ReproJustice #ReproductiveRights #AbortionIsHealthcare
— Rep. Chris Rabb (@RepRabb) October 2, 2021
“As long as state legislatures continue to restrict the reproductive rights of cis women, trans men and non-binary people, there should be laws that address the responsibility of men who impregnate them,” Rabb wrote.
- Like Texas’ recent abortion ban, Rabb’s proposal would offer a $10,000 reward for anyone who brings violators to justice.
Rabb later clarified that his bill is meant as parody, but he’s serious about highlighting what he sees as an unfair double-standard for “birthing people.”
- “I thought it was important as a man to speak up about reproductive rights,” Rabb told Harrisburg station WHP-TV. “There are all these bills and laws that regulate and restrict the bodily autonomy for women and girls, but not so much for men.”
SAME ENERGY
In October 2019, Democratic Georgia Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick introduced a “Testicular Bill of Rights” that would criminalize vasectomies and limit Viagra use in response to Republican-led efforts to restrict abortion in the state.
- Female Democratic lawmakers introduced similar protest bills in several states in 2012.