Right-wing media figures are attacking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and undermining its efforts to promote the coronavirus vaccine because the agency used the phrase “pregnant people” rather than “pregnant women.” They have asserted that “the CDC’s advice is now shaped by political ideology instead of sound science” and that “if you can't tell that pregnant people are women, I won't be taking your advice about what to inject into my body.”

On August 12, the CDC published “new data on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant people,” and CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, “CDC encourages all pregnant people or people who are thinking about becoming pregnant and those breastfeeding to get vaccinated to protect themselves from COVID-19.” 

“Pregnant people” is an inclusive term that recognizes trans and nonbinary people can be pregnant. The phrase also of course encompasses all pregnant women. 

Nevertheless, right-wing media have repeatedly attacked scientists and medical professionals who use the term, falsely claiming that it “erases women.” These attacks are not new; right-wing media have sensationalized and demonized trans parents for years, including a harassment campaign against a trans couple in July. 

Following the CDC’s use of the term, right-wing media denigrated the agency and suggested that its credibility on vaccines and “science” was undermined, ignoring their own role in promoting misinformation about and distrust in vaccines:

• On August 12, Newsmax hosts Jenn Pellegrino and Steve Cortes attacked the CDC and Walensky for using the term “pregnant people.” Pellegrino said, “As if this pandemic hasn’t been political enough, the Biden administration is now combining gender identity, of all things, with their vaccine rollout.” Cortes replied, “For any scientist to make a statement that ‘people’ have babies instead of ‘women’ -- it's part of why public trust has been so eroded. And so, you know, naturally we laugh at how ludicrous these statements are, and they are, but there's also a really serious fallout.”

• On Twitter, right-wing pundit Liz Wheeler said, “If you can't tell that pregnant people are women, I won't be taking your advice about what to inject into my body. Thanks & goodnight.”

• In her Substack newsletter, right-wing radio host Dana Loesch fearmongered about trans people and attacked the CDC’s credibility, saying, “The CDC choosing to involve itself in a political issue isn’t science, it’s activism. It’s an activism that betrays the public and discredits their purpose.”
• On Facebook, The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles shared a Daily Wire article titled “CDC Director Refers To ‘Pregnant People.’ Social Media Blasts Her.” He wrote, “What? The ’Scientists’ we're supposed to have faith in are denying biological reality.”

• Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe tweeted, “CDC gets Florida’s numbers wrong and calls pregnant women pregnant people, but absolutely trust them on the science!”

• The Daily Caller posted on Facebook, “The CDC is so scientific that they now call soon-to-be mothers ‘pregnant people.’”

• Daily Wire reporter Megan Basham said, “If you use the term ‘pregnant people’ instead of ‘pregnant women,’ why would I believe anything you have to say about ‘science’?”

• Right-wing radio host Erick Erickson tweeted, “Only women can get pregnant. That the CDC no longer recognizes this suggests much of the CDC’s advice is now shaped by political ideology instead of sound science.” 

• Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich said, “The CDC wants us to take them very seriously as they perpetuate the biologically and scientifically false narrative that ‘people’ rather than women, can get pregnant. K.”

• Conservative personality James Woods tweeted, “‘CDC Director Refers To “Pregnant People.”’ And these idiots wonder why we don’t trust their advice. #TryRealScience.”