Dr. Sam Hawgood, chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), stated during a congressional hearing that transgender men can carry children. The remark came during a tense exchange on Tuesday concerning UCSF's guidelines on gender and sex concepts in medical education, specifically its departure from the term 'pregnant women' in favor of 'pregnant people.'
Republican Representative Randy Fine of Florida challenged Hawgood, calling the statement "insane" and asserting that "Men CANNOT and will NEVER be able to get pregnant." Representative Mary Miller of Illinois echoed this sentiment, expressing concern that a leading medical school would suggest biological men can become pregnant.
The hearing, titled 'Training Activists, Not Physicians: The Impact of DEI on Medical Schools,' focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at medical institutions. Miller questioned Hawgood about UCSF's "Framework for Gender and Sex Concepts in Teaching" guide, which advises against using "pregnant women" and suggests "pregnant people" instead.
Hawgood defended the terminology, explaining it is part of a curriculum designed to prepare students for a diverse patient population, though he acknowledged that the "vast majority" of pregnancies involve women. When pressed by Miller on whether a non-biological woman could give birth, Hawgood responded, "A transgender person can." He further clarified his position by stating, "it is possible for 'transgender men' to carry a baby."
Dr. Steve Dubinett, dean of the University of California, Los Angeles’ David Geffen School of Medicine, also testified. When questioned by Miller about whether someone could have a uterus but not be a woman, Dubinett stated that the school is "treating transgender people" in compliance with state and federal law but did not directly answer the question about biological capacity. He acknowledged that the school teaches biology and prepares students to care for diverse patients.
Miller contended that medical schools are prioritizing political ideology over scientific reality and that DEI curriculum is being concealed under the guise of medical access. She suggested that schools abandoning scientific truth should lose their accreditation.
Democratic lawmakers, including Representative Adelita Grijalva of Arizona, criticized the hearing, describing it as a "monumental waste of this committee’s time" and accusing Republicans of "playing politics with DEI rhetoric." They argued that the focus on DEI distracts from policy issues and that medical schools need to understand how to treat vulnerable communities.
Administrators from UCSF, UCLA, and the University of Illinois maintained that their programs do not discriminate and are designed to provide high-quality, evidence-based care to all patients while adhering to accreditation standards and legal requirements.