Photo: Mark Sagliocco/WireImageBette Midleris getting vocal about the “erasure” of women — and stirring up controversy.On Sunday, the 76-year-old actress expressed her anger on Twitter that women are being stripped of their rights and their “name.““WOMEN OF THE WORLD! We are being stripped of our rights over our bodies, our lives and even of our name! They don’t call us ‘women’ anymore; they call us ‘birthing people’ or ‘menstruators’, and even ‘people with vaginas’! Don’t let them erase you! Every human on earth owes you!,” shewrote.While some fans believed that Midler’s tweet was meant to criticize theU.S. Supreme Court’s overturning ofRoe v. Wadeand subsequent state abortion bans, other followers of the actress argued it was an anti-trans comment.Bette Midler tweet.Bette Midler TwitterIn response to the tweet, which has been liked more than 92,000 times, authorRoxane Gaywrote, “No one is trying to erase women with inclusive language about people who need abortion care. No one is calling you anything but what you prefer. You should extend that courtesy in return.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Anothercommentcame from Crystal, who appeared onRuPaul Drag Race UKSeason: “The fight for women’s rights INCLUDES trans people - trans rights do not erode women’s rights. We’re all fighting this together and this trans-exclusionary rhetoric does NOTHING to help that.“Crystal continued, “Bette - you are a woman. Some other people who give birth are not women. That’s ok!“A rep for Midler didn’t immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.Midler’s statement comes in the wake of numerous efforts from politicians across the country to restrict access to healthcare for transgender youth. Earlier this year,Texas Gov. Greg Abbottdirected that parents of transgender kids who undergo gender-affirming surgeriesbe investigated for “child abuse.“In June, it was reported that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration were working toban gender-affirming carefor transgender youth and those on Medicaid.In a letterto the Florida Board of Medicine, the governing body that oversees medical professionals, Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo claims that gender-affirming care like puberty blockers, hormone therapies and gender-reassignment surgeries are “politics-based medicine” and children who receive them “face a substantial risk of long-term harm.” Ladapo’s statementsecho the guidance his agency, the Florida Department of Health, issued in Aprilwhich advised against care for trans youth.RELATED VIDEO: Dylan Mulvaney Hopes Her Trans Journey Inspires and Helps OthersFlorida’s guidance goes against the recommendations from the Biden administration and major medical organizations such as theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, theAmerican Medical Associationand theAmerican Psychological Association, which have said that gender-affirming medical care is a medically-necessary service for transgender kids.TheU.S. Department of Health and Human Servicessays gender-affirming care is “crucial to overall health and well-being” of transgender youth. Florida would join Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas in banning care for transgender patients using Medicaid.
Photo: Mark Sagliocco/WireImage
Bette Midleris getting vocal about the “erasure” of women — and stirring up controversy.On Sunday, the 76-year-old actress expressed her anger on Twitter that women are being stripped of their rights and their “name.““WOMEN OF THE WORLD! We are being stripped of our rights over our bodies, our lives and even of our name! They don’t call us ‘women’ anymore; they call us ‘birthing people’ or ‘menstruators’, and even ‘people with vaginas’! Don’t let them erase you! Every human on earth owes you!,” shewrote.While some fans believed that Midler’s tweet was meant to criticize theU.S. Supreme Court’s overturning ofRoe v. Wadeand subsequent state abortion bans, other followers of the actress argued it was an anti-trans comment.Bette Midler tweet.Bette Midler TwitterIn response to the tweet, which has been liked more than 92,000 times, authorRoxane Gaywrote, “No one is trying to erase women with inclusive language about people who need abortion care. No one is calling you anything but what you prefer. You should extend that courtesy in return.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Anothercommentcame from Crystal, who appeared onRuPaul Drag Race UKSeason: “The fight for women’s rights INCLUDES trans people - trans rights do not erode women’s rights. We’re all fighting this together and this trans-exclusionary rhetoric does NOTHING to help that.“Crystal continued, “Bette - you are a woman. Some other people who give birth are not women. That’s ok!“A rep for Midler didn’t immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.Midler’s statement comes in the wake of numerous efforts from politicians across the country to restrict access to healthcare for transgender youth. Earlier this year,Texas Gov. Greg Abbottdirected that parents of transgender kids who undergo gender-affirming surgeriesbe investigated for “child abuse.“In June, it was reported that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration were working toban gender-affirming carefor transgender youth and those on Medicaid.In a letterto the Florida Board of Medicine, the governing body that oversees medical professionals, Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo claims that gender-affirming care like puberty blockers, hormone therapies and gender-reassignment surgeries are “politics-based medicine” and children who receive them “face a substantial risk of long-term harm.” Ladapo’s statementsecho the guidance his agency, the Florida Department of Health, issued in Aprilwhich advised against care for trans youth.RELATED VIDEO: Dylan Mulvaney Hopes Her Trans Journey Inspires and Helps OthersFlorida’s guidance goes against the recommendations from the Biden administration and major medical organizations such as theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, theAmerican Medical Associationand theAmerican Psychological Association, which have said that gender-affirming medical care is a medically-necessary service for transgender kids.TheU.S. Department of Health and Human Servicessays gender-affirming care is “crucial to overall health and well-being” of transgender youth. Florida would join Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas in banning care for transgender patients using Medicaid.
Bette Midleris getting vocal about the “erasure” of women — and stirring up controversy.
On Sunday, the 76-year-old actress expressed her anger on Twitter that women are being stripped of their rights and their “name.”
“WOMEN OF THE WORLD! We are being stripped of our rights over our bodies, our lives and even of our name! They don’t call us ‘women’ anymore; they call us ‘birthing people’ or ‘menstruators’, and even ‘people with vaginas’! Don’t let them erase you! Every human on earth owes you!,” shewrote.
While some fans believed that Midler’s tweet was meant to criticize theU.S. Supreme Court’s overturning ofRoe v. Wadeand subsequent state abortion bans, other followers of the actress argued it was an anti-trans comment.
Bette Midler tweet.Bette Midler Twitter
In response to the tweet, which has been liked more than 92,000 times, authorRoxane Gaywrote, “No one is trying to erase women with inclusive language about people who need abortion care. No one is calling you anything but what you prefer. You should extend that courtesy in return.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Anothercommentcame from Crystal, who appeared onRuPaul Drag Race UKSeason: “The fight for women’s rights INCLUDES trans people - trans rights do not erode women’s rights. We’re all fighting this together and this trans-exclusionary rhetoric does NOTHING to help that.”
Crystal continued, “Bette - you are a woman. Some other people who give birth are not women. That’s ok!”
A rep for Midler didn’t immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Midler’s statement comes in the wake of numerous efforts from politicians across the country to restrict access to healthcare for transgender youth. Earlier this year,Texas Gov. Greg Abbottdirected that parents of transgender kids who undergo gender-affirming surgeriesbe investigated for “child abuse.”
In June, it was reported that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration were working toban gender-affirming carefor transgender youth and those on Medicaid.
In a letterto the Florida Board of Medicine, the governing body that oversees medical professionals, Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo claims that gender-affirming care like puberty blockers, hormone therapies and gender-reassignment surgeries are “politics-based medicine” and children who receive them “face a substantial risk of long-term harm.” Ladapo’s statementsecho the guidance his agency, the Florida Department of Health, issued in Aprilwhich advised against care for trans youth.
RELATED VIDEO: Dylan Mulvaney Hopes Her Trans Journey Inspires and Helps Others
Florida’s guidance goes against the recommendations from the Biden administration and major medical organizations such as theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, theAmerican Medical Associationand theAmerican Psychological Association, which have said that gender-affirming medical care is a medically-necessary service for transgender kids.
TheU.S. Department of Health and Human Servicessays gender-affirming care is “crucial to overall health and well-being” of transgender youth. Florida would join Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas in banning care for transgender patients using Medicaid.
source: people.com
