Arizona Representative Andy Biggs has introduced a bill in Congress that seeks to set a new national standard for women’s healthcare that would prioritize “the needs of men, families, and communities” rather than women.
The bill was quietly introduced to the House on January 3 and has received little national attention. However, given that it outlines an idea to fundamentally change women’s healthcare nationwide, it’s quite a significant proposal. At first glance, it appears to be genuinely concerned with women’s healthcare, advocating for establishing Pro Women’s Healthcare Centers (PWHC) specifically for women and expanding women’s access to quality healthcare. A deeper look at the proposal, along with the PWHC booklet, though, reveals very troubling language and details. Rather than prioritizing the health, well-being, and livelihood of women, the bill envisions implementing these health centers nationwide to ensure that women have access to healthcare that is strictly pro-life, emphasizes “spirituality,” and prioritizes the needs of men.
What is House Resolution 7?
House Resolution 7 is quite brief. At first, it seems fairly pro-women, declaring that all women should have “comprehensive, high-quality, life-affirming medical care” and feel “empowered and equipped” to “advocate for their health.” However, the resolution takes a strange turn when it states, “Whereas health care for women should also address the needs of men, families, and communities as they relate to women’s health care.” The resolution provides no example or explanation of how the needs of anyone besides the female patient would “relate to women’s health care” or why professionals providing care to women should be concerned about “the needs of men.”
In addition to outlining what it thinks women’s healthcare should be, the resolution suggests PWHCs embody this quality healthcare. Hence, it suggests establishing PWHCs as “standards worth implementing nationwide.” The PWHC consortium already has a booklet providing more information on what differentiates them. While House Resolution 7 conveniently leaves this fact out, PWHCs are strictly pro-life. Their booklet states, “Abortion is not women’s healthcare.” They will not provide abortion care and will only offer women what they need to “feel motherhood or adoption is plausible for them.” The booklet makes no mention of medically necessary abortions in cases where the mother’s life is at risk. It also seeks to make spiritual care part of women’s healthcare, as centers are required or encouraged to offer “abortion healing,” “spiritual reflection/meditation/reconnection to own faith,” “prayers with patients when appropriate,” and “classes on spiritual formation.”
The bill has many unknowns. Although it essentially wants PWHCs to determine the “standard” for women’s healthcare nationwide, it’s unclear how it will do this. TikTok user Ashley Flowers, who covered the subject, also questioned why there aren’t any Pro Men’s Healthcare Centers and why there only needs to be a “national standard” for women’s healthcare. As for the bizarre declaration that women’s healthcare should be about men’s needs, Flowers stated, “I thought my healthcare was about my needs …” She also began her video with a warning that “s—t’s getting really wild,” though many people are too concerned with things like the name of the Gulf of Mexico and seem to have wholly missed House Resolution 7.
There’s a chance this proposed bill won’t go anywhere. Additionally, it’s not even clear what it means. Is it going to force women to go to PWHCs solely for healthcare or somehow demand every healthcare professional adopt PWHCs mission? Still, the fact that something like this is even being put out there is deeply concerning. This bill isn’t about elevating the quality of women’s healthcare or expanding access to women’s healthcare. It’s about Republican men wanting to define and dictate what women’s healthcare should be. It’s funny how they don’t see a need for men’s healthcare centers or resolutions outlining what men’s healthcare should entail. Men’s healthcare is just about men. Yet, they want to make it law that women’s healthcare isn’t about women. Instead, it’s also about men, plus families, communities, unborn babies, and spirituality.
Indeed, things are getting “wild” when we have men so threatened by the idea of women receiving healthcare that they have to propose resolutions that ensure women are not a priority of women’s healthcare.
Published: Jan 16, 2025 03:42 pm