Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel received applause during the final session of the RNC's annual summer meeting after she made the erroneous claim that Democrats are trying to take away people's rights to call themselves "mom."
McDaniel made the claim on Friday, August 13, while criticizing a litany of what she characterized as "radical" Democratic policies.
You can watch footage of her remarks in the video below.
McDaniel's remarks served to criticize critical race theory and masking guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in particular.
She said:
"Democrats and their radical policies have awakened a sleeping giant: the moms of America."
"Moms are mobilizing against what Democrats are doing to our kids. We will not let you teach our children that they were born racist or oppressed based on the color of their skin."
"We will fight for school choice and the best education for our kids. Democrats are the party of limiting opportunity and we [Republicans] are the party of limitless opportunity and we know the best path to the American Dream comes from a good education and the right to choose the best school for your child."
"We will not allow Democrats to close our classrooms again or mask up our children again."
It was then when McDaniel made her most absurd claim:
"We will not allow unions to do anything other than that the United States is the greatest nation on Earth. And finally, the Democrats cannot take away my right to call myself a mom."
"I am not a 'birthing person,' I am a mother, and it's the most important job I will ever have."
There is no evidence that Democrats want to stop people from calling themselves mothers. Nor has any Democrat ever gone on record to declare as such.
McDaniel's declaration that she is not, contrary to the supposed Democratic imposition, a "birthing person" is also misleading.
The phrase "pregnant person" was used recently in CDC guidance to acknowledge that not all people who give birth identify as women.
The words "birthing people" were used in President Joe Biden's 2022 budget proposal, in a similar rejection of gendered terms and pronouns for more inclusive ones.
Although critics like McDaniel have argued that gender inclusive terminology is cumbersome, the Biden administration's use of the term does not amount to an explicit prohibition of the word "mom."
Social media users were quick to criticize McDaniel for pushing this falsehood while further politicizing the Covid-19 pandemic.
McDaniel has demonstrated time and again that she is not above making baseless claims.
In 2018, McDaniel was one of a group of prominent conservatives who accused Twitter of shadow-banning Republicans despite the lack of any discernible evidence.
She has also continued to elevate false allegations from former President Donald Trump that the 2020 general election was stolen. Under McDaniel's leadership, the RNC allocated $20 million to oppose Democratic lawsuits to make voting easier during the Covid-19 pandemic.
