Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert made the absurd claim that Democrats are "trying to get rid of parents," a claim which is only her latest in a long string of outlandish claims.
Nine months ago, the House of Representatives approved rules about the language that would be used in official documents as part of an effort to include more inclusive language.
For example, "Chairman" would become "Chair," and "father" and "mother" would be replaced by "parent," an acknowledgment that there are plenty of children out there who do not have a mother or a father.
Boebert suggested that Democrats are undermining parenting by employing gender-neutral language.
She wrote:
"Radical liberals want to get rid of the word 'mother' and 'father' because they want to get rid of parents all together."
"To them, the state is supposed to raise children."
"NEVER surrender your children."
Radical liberals want to get rid of the word \u201cmother\u201d and \u201cfather\u201d because they want to get rid of parents all together.\n\nTo them, the state is supposed to raise children.\n\nNEVER surrender your children.— Lauren Boebert (@Lauren Boebert) 1633953170
Boebert's claim has been widely mocked and it's left many wondering what in the world she is talking about.
WTF are you even talking about? Where are you getting this bogus information - from Jewish space lasers? High school dropouts like you should learn when to keep your mouth shut.https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1447530631332868096\u00a0\u2026— I_was_there_for_715 (@I_was_there_for_715) 1634046557
What in the mother father are you going in about now?https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1447530631332868096\u00a0\u2026— The Good Doctor (@The Good Doctor) 1634010303
Yawns.https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1447530631332868096\u00a0\u2026— therebis (@therebis) 1633970446
This reads like an SNL sketch but unfortunately Lauren Boebert actually said it.https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1447530631332868096\u00a0\u2026— Kit Marlowe (@Kit Marlowe) 1633970151
What?https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1447530631332868096\u00a0\u2026— Jaycub\ud83d\udc3b\ud83e\udd18\ud83c\udffd\ud83c\udf83 (@Jaycub\ud83d\udc3b\ud83e\udd18\ud83c\udffd\ud83c\udf83) 1633978299
The smell of Knee Jerk on a Monday afternoon. MAGA gonna MAGAhttps://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1447530631332868096\u00a0\u2026— gorillaslaps (@gorillaslaps) 1633977397
I can't even fathom that this POS is a law maker in my government...whyhttps://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1447530631332868096\u00a0\u2026— KOJAMF (@KOJAMF) 1633968280
This woman is insane @laurenboeberthttps://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1447530631332868096\u00a0\u2026— Alyson Silverman (@Alyson Silverman) 1633968340
Boebert's claim is not unique to her. It has previously been used as a talking point by prominent members of the Republican Party.
In August, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel received applause during the final session of the RNC's annual summer meeting after she made the erroneous claim that Democrats are trying to take away people's rights to call themselves "mom."
McDaniel said:
"We will not allow unions to do anything other than that the United States is the greatest nation on Earth. And finally, the Democrats cannot take away my right to call myself a mom."
"I am not a 'birthing person,' I am a mother, and it's the most important job I will ever have."
There is no evidence that Democrats want to stop people from calling themselves mothers. Nor has any Democrat ever gone on record to declare as such.
McDaniel's declaration that she is not, contrary to the supposed Democratic imposition, a "birthing person" is also misleading.
The phrase "pregnant person" was used recently in CDC guidance to acknowledge that not all people who give birth identify as women.
The words "birthing people" were used in President Joe Biden's 2022 budget proposal, in a similar rejection of gendered terms and pronouns for more inclusive ones.
