Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has drawn criticism for equating sex-change surgery with circumcision during a Fox News interview. El-Sayed, who is an MD, made the comparison while defending transgender surgeries for minors. Critics pointed out that circumcision is a less complex procedure, often performed for health benefits by individuals like a mohel, and does not carry the same life-altering consequences as gender-affirming surgery.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also faced backlash for her remarks regarding a 5-year-old boy allegedly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Hochul cited the case of Liam Ramos to support a new state law preventing local police from cooperating with ICE. However, reports indicate that ICE agents were involved in rescuing the child after his undocumented father abandoned him and his family declined to take him back.
Separately, Basem Boshra, Senior Director of Journalistic Standards at CBC News, reportedly instructed journalists not to refer to the September 11 attacks as "terrorist attacks" unless attributed. A CBC spokesman clarified that the term "terrorist" should only be used with attribution. This directive comes ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
Additionally, the New York Post's editorial board noted a tweet from "Democrats Deliver" and other supporters crediting El-Sayed, referred to as "Zo," with environmental improvements, such as the return of a river otter to the Bronx River after a century. The board argued that these environmental improvements are the result of decades of work by environmentalists and questioned attributing them to El-Sayed's tenure.