GOP Senator Likens Women To Wildlife In 'Ridiculous' Anti-Abortion Argument
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Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) attracted ridicule this week after he compared women and fetuses to sea turtles, eagles and their eggs as he argued against a bill proposed by Democrats that would guarantee the right to abortion under federal law.
According to Daines’ analogy, which was delivered on the Senate floor complete with a visual aid, the legislation would give fetuses fewer protections than turtle and eagle eggs.
“If you were to take or destroy the eggs of a sea turtle, now I said the eggs. Not the hatchlings, that’s also a [unintelligible], the criminal penalties are severe. Up to $100,000 fine and a year in prison. Now why?” Daines said. “Why do we have laws in place that protect the eggs of a sea turtle or the eggs of eagles? Because when you destroy an egg, you’re killing a preborn baby sea turtle or a preborn baby eagle.”
Daines on Abortion: Why do we have laws in place to protect the eggs of a sea turtle or the eggs of eagles… pic.twitter.com/yr0dM7aaAs
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 10, 2022
The laws he’s referring to protect sea turtle and bald eagle nests from humans because the species are endangered. There are no laws preventing female wildlife from doing as they please with their own eggs.
Democrats introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act in an effort to safeguard abortion access for millions of women, following the leak of a draft majority opinion that showed the Supreme Court was poised to overturn the landmark 1973 abortion rights case, Roe v. Wade, and roll back women’s rights by five decades.
Daines’ argument was torn apart on social media:
1. Humans aren’t an endangered species.
2. We have laws against others physically assaulting pregnant women.
3. We don’t have laws against sea turtles and eagles who break or damage their own eggs, or abandon their young.
4. Republicans often make the most ridiculous analogies https://t.co/9H3YVhZjoZ— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) May 10, 2022
among other things, because sea turtles and eagles don't have constitutional rights as equal citizens of the United States but hey, apparently women don't either https://t.co/1ZACZGq2Ab
— Emmy Bengtson (@EmmyA2) May 10, 2022
I mean…cuz they’re endangered species? Unlike the numerous other animals’ eggs humans destroy on a daily basis (chicken, duck, quail, etc).
FWIW, I would be vehemently against forcing a sea turtle or eagle to lay eggs/procreate against their will just as I am a human woman. 🤷🏽♀️ https://t.co/vYrmWl1uox— Tiya Sircar (@tiyasircar) May 10, 2022
.@SteveDaines just compared women to fucking sea turtles and eagles. It continues to blow my mind that so many men, most of whom don’t know how a basic period works, are in a position to legislate my right to have children. https://t.co/Q59Gu99LkI
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 10, 2022
As a conservation biologist I could have NEVER predicted that fucking sea turtles would be used to support taking away my rights.
Also, @stevedaines only voted for conservation interests in 40% of major votes in 2019-2020.
Man doesn’t know enough about eggs OR wildlife. https://t.co/VTDibKS3td— Imogene Cancellare (@biologistimo) May 11, 2022
I agree that women deserve as much if not even more protection than sea turtles.
— Andrew Wortman 🏳️🌈🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@AmoneyResists) May 10, 2022
The party comparing abortion to sea turtle eggs shouldn’t be in charge of shit.
Especially not my uterus.— Jo 🌻 (@JoJoFromJerz) May 11, 2022
Steve Daines makes the dumbest argument of all time.
Sea turtles & bald eagles are endangered species, humans are not.
pic.twitter.com/WwVndRv5lf— The USA Singers (@TheUSASingers) May 12, 2022
Look at @SteveDaines murdering a fish and all the offspring it could produce. pic.twitter.com/mUPi9Ltz9p
— 🇺🇦Fuck Trump (not a fan of coups) 💉💉💉 (@FvckTrumps) May 10, 2022
So...women being compared to sea turtles. Cool, cool. Cool. https://t.co/Oqltay1lIL
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) May 10, 2022
You’re kidding me with this misogynist shit, right?!
Senator Daines on abortion: “Why do we have laws in place to protect the eggs of a sea turtle?”
Women are not f’ing sea turtles
We are extraordinary brilliant indomitable HUMANS who seek to be the masters of our own destiny— Lindy Li (@lindyli) May 10, 2022
I want to go on record. I am not a sea turtle. Steve Daines is an embarrassment to Montana.
— Mary Syrenne (@MarySyrenne) May 11, 2022
Ladies, is it right that the Constitution protects your body differently than *checks notes* a sea turtle? pic.twitter.com/kSk6byfljl
— Anthony Michael Kreis (@AnthonyMKreis) May 10, 2022
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.