Pennsylvania State Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Philadelphia, picked up the political hand grenade that is the state's ultrasound bill today when she wondered aloud at a Capitol rally if Republican women who had co-sponsored the bill are "men with breasts."Josephs' remarks came at a political rally sponsored by the Lancaster County Democratic Committee, in which she accused Republicans in control of the state Senate and state House of turning Pennsylvania into a "laboratory for the right-wing. They're trying all these experiments on us."
Then, she took specific aim at women lawmakers who co-sponsored the ultrasound bill, asking rhetorically, "I do not understand how a woman in this Legislature can say to herself: 'I'm not capable of making my own health decisions... but I can get elected and make them for somebody else.'
"What is wrong with these women? What are they thinking about?" Josephs continued. "Are they women? Or are they men with breasts."
Ironically, the Pennsylvania ultrasound bill has been shelved indefinitely by House leaders, in part because of outcries by more moderate GOP lawmakers who don't want to deal with it in their election year.
Coming two weeks after Gov. Tom Corbett was flogged in the national media echo chamber for his own "you just have to close your eyes" comment about the ultrasound bill, which he said he could support, the bill's supporters seized on Josephs' remarks as insensitive to those who consider abortion murder.
"I think it's sad, and certainly disrespectful, to have to describe opponents to your opinion of a bill by attacking and throwing names around," the bill's prime sponsor, Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren County, said in an interview.
Rep. RoseMarie Swanger, R-North Lebanon Twp. and a co-sponsor, called the comments a low blow. "I am a woman, and just because I disagree with her on certain women's issues doesn't make me a man," Swanger said. "We can have different points of view, but we don't have to insult each other."
Corbett's press secretary Kevin Harley, who has argued that his boss's remarks on the topic were taken out of context by Democratic candidates for office, called Josephs' remarks "intolerant, insulting and idiotic."
In fact, a recent Quinnipiac University poll has suggested that women are evenly divided on the ultrasound requirement.
Josephs stood by her words after the rally, arguing that the women lawmakers on the bill are acting like some women do only in the sense "that they are doing what the men tell them."
Organizers of the rally stood by Josephs' remarks and her right to say them.
"That's her way of questioning the bill, and we support Babette," said Sally Lyall, chair of the Lancaster Democrats. "We don't move ahead if we don't get people's attention. If this gets people thinking, that's the point of a rally like this."