Congresswoman and former Democratic Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) made headlines earlier this year for stating that “unless a woman’s life, or severe health consequences, is at risk, then there shouldn’t be an abortion in the third trimester” and that “abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.”
This was a large break from the mainstream Democratic position that abortion should be on-demand and that it’s her body, her choice. According to Vice, “the phrase safe, legal, and rare only further stigmatizes abortion…” Vice went on to say that Gabbard’s statement regarding restrictions on third-trimester abortion is “giving in to anti-choice fear-mongering around so-called “late-term abortions.”
On the Presidential campaign trail, Gabbard never backtracked her statement. While she certainly can’t be labeled “pro-life,” it does raise the question of whether or not there are still pro-life democrats out there.
And, just this week Gabbard made more headlines. She introduced a handful of bills Democrats would never bring to the Floor. The first, H.R. 8939, is a measure “To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect pain-capable unborn children.” While the full text of the bill is not yet available, it appears to be similar to the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act or S. 3275. You may recall that this legislation failed to pass the Senate earlier this year and Speaker Pelosi did not bring it to the House Floor for a vote.
But, Gabbard didn’t stop there. She also introduced legislation with Congressman Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to protect the integrity of Title IX. H.R.8932 or the Protect Women’s Sports Act clarifies “Title IX protections for female athletes is based on biological sex.” In a press release announcing the legislation, Gabbard stated:
“Title IX was a historic provision championed by Hawai‘i’s own Congresswoman Patsy Mink in order to provide equal opportunity for women and girls in high school and college sports. It led to a generational shift that impacted countless women, creating life-changing opportunities for girls and women that never existed before. However, Title IX is being weakened by some states who are misinterpreting Title IX, creating uncertainty, undue hardship and lost opportunities for female athletes. Our legislation protects Title IX’s original intent which was based on the general biological distinction between men and women athletes based on sex. It is critical that the legacy of Title IX continues to ensure women and girls in sports have the opportunity to compete and excel on a level playing field.”
This legislation is similar to the Senate’s Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act We know that these protections are vital, which is why we supported the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. There have been multiple cases in which biological males identifying as females have taken opportunities away from our daughters. But this opinion is different than the narrative of the Left. A quick google search for “Tulsi Gabbard” brings up multiple hits labeling the Congresswoman as “transphobic.” Gabbard is just the latest celebrity to be cancelled for stating the truth: women are women and men are men.
Lastly, Gabbard also introduced a bill aimed at weakening Big Tech. The Congresswoman along with Arizona Republican Paul Gosar, introduced H.R.8922, the Break-Up Big Tech Act of 2020. If enacted, the legislation would “remove the Section 230 legal immunity shield that protects interactive computer service providers — like big tech monopolies and social media companies — who engage in certain manipulative practices, including acting as publishers and censoring certain users.” As Gabbard stated:
“Big tech monopolies like Google and Facebook have made billions of dollars by creating online platforms that monetize our private information, use manipulative and destructive algorithms, and act as publishers choosing what information they want to censor or publish. They undermine our freedom of speech and treat us and our attention as the product, monetizing it to line their pockets with more money without any regard for the damaging consequences”
On this issue, Gabbard aligns with many conservatives, even the President. While Gabbard isn’t returning for the 117th Congress, we are hopeful that she represents a less radical and a less progressive base in the Democratic party.
