Washington, D.C. – January 15, 2026 – A Senate hearing on the safety of chemical abortion drugs erupted into a heated debate on gender and biology when Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri relentlessly questioned an expert witness on whether men can become pregnant. The exchange, which quickly went viral on social media, highlighted ongoing tensions between scientific evidence, gender identity, and abortion policy in the United States.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee convened on Wednesday to examine the potential risks associated with medications like mifepristone, which is used in more than 60% of abortions in the country. The drug has come under scrutiny following FDA expansions allowing mail-order prescriptions, which critics argue pose health risks to women.
Testifying on behalf of Physicians for Reproductive Health, Dr. Nisha Verma, a board-certified OB/GYN and Indian-American reproductive health adviser, faced pointed questioning from Hawley. Hawley, known for his conservative stance on social issues, pressed Verma more than a dozen times with the direct query: “Can men get pregnant?” He framed the question as a test of biological reality, arguing that acknowledging only women can get pregnant is essential to addressing women’s specific health risks from abortion drugs.
“The goal is just to establish a biological reality,” Hawley stated during the hearing. “You said just a moment ago that science and evidence should control, not politics, so let’s just test that proposition.”
Verma, who provides reproductive care in Georgia and Massachusetts, paused and deflected, emphasizing the complexity of her patients’ experiences. “I take care of people with many identities,” she responded. “I’m also someone here to represent the complex experiences of my patients. I don’t think polarized language or questions serve that goal.”
She described yes-or-no questions as “a political tool” that reduces nuanced realities, refusing to provide a straightforward answer despite Hawley’s interruptions and repetitions.
The back-and-forth grew tense, with Hawley accusing Verma of evading the truth and questioning her credibility as a medical professional. “It’s not complex,” he asserted. “I’m trying to get to an answer, and I’m trying to test, frankly, your veracity as a medical professional and as a scientist.”
Hawley ultimately concluded the exchange by declaring, “Women get pregnant, not men,” tying the point back to the hearing’s focus on protecting women’s health amid relaxed regulations on abortion pills.
The moment drew sharp reactions from both sides of the political spectrum. Conservative commentators praised Hawley for upholding “biological facts” and criticized Verma for what they called ideological deflection, with some labeling the response as evidence of “woke” influence in medicine.
Progressive voices, however, defended Verma, noting that transgender men—who are biologically female but identify as male—can and do get pregnant, and accused Hawley of using the question to marginalize gender-diverse individuals.
One social media user pointed out the potential ambiguity in terminology, suggesting the question might hinge on distinctions between biological sex and gender identity.
This incident echoes broader national debates on gender, science, and reproductive rights, especially as abortion access remains a flashpoint following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The HELP Committee hearing also featured discussions on the efficacy and dangers of mifepristone, with witnesses presenting data on complications such as incomplete abortions and emergency room visits.
As of Thursday afternoon, clips of the exchange had amassed millions of views across platforms like YouTube and Instagram, fueling ongoing online discourse.
Neither Hawley’s office nor Physicians for Reproductive Health immediately responded to requests for further comment. The committee is expected to continue deliberations on abortion drug regulations in the coming weeks.
