U.S. House Committee questions medical school leaders over inclusive language

During a U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing titled “Activist Training, Not Medical Training: The Impact of DEI in Medical Schools,” Republican lawmakers questioned leaders from several medical institutions regarding the use of inclusive language in curricula.

Representative Mary Miller challenged Dr. Sam Hawgood, Chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), regarding a classroom guide that advises against using the term “pregnant women” in favor of “pregnant people.” Dr. Hawgood explained that the curriculum is designed to prepare students for a diverse patient population, noting that while the vast majority of pregnancies involve women, the institution remains attentive to transgender patients.

Florida Representative Randy Fine also criticized the use of inclusive terminology, describing the concept of transgender men becoming pregnant as “madness” during the session.