Catholic University of America fired the professor who invited an abortion doula who used the term “birthing person” during a mandatory lecture, according to an email obtained by The Daily Wire.
“Now that we have clear evidence that the content of the class did not align with our mission and identity, we have now terminated our contract with the professor who invited the speaker,” university president Peter Kilpatrick wrote in a campus-wide email.
In audio recordings obtained by The Daily Wire, Rachel Carbonneau identified herself as an “abortion doula” during her January 23 lecture, and used radical terms such as “birthing person” and “seahorse births,” a reference to women who believe they are men giving birth.
Carbonneau was invited to speak to during the LifeSpan Development course by instructor Melissa Goldberg, who has now been let go by the university.
Throughout the lecture, Carbonneau repeatedly used the term “birthing person” instead of “mother” or “woman.” When a student asked her to explain her use of the term, she discussed her work with transgender people.
“We do tend to default towards women,” she said. “We are currently at Catholic University, but we are in Washington, D.C., which is a very big and broad space and we work with trans clients. I have some men who have given birth. It’s amazing.”
Carbonneau referred to a transgender man giving birth as a “seahorse birth,” drawing a comparison to the marine fish species where birthing is carried out by males.
“We call it seahorse birth, it’s lovely” she said. “Especially when it’s a water birth. Fantastic.”
“The speaker identified herself as an “abortion doula” and she advocated for abortion, for language that distorts the distinctions between the sexes, and for the normalizing of transgender births,” Kilpatrick added. “While we were unable to confirm what exactly was said in the class, we did determine that the speaker’s views on life issues and on the anthropology of the human person were not consistent with our mission and identity as a faithful Catholic university, and that she should not be allowed to address the class again.”
The university previously told The Daily Wire that Carbonneau was no longer allowed to speak to the class.
“The Catholic University of America was appalled to learn about reports regarding this guest speaker,” spokesperson Nicole Germain told The Daily Wire. “The guest speaker will not be speaking again to the class and we are re-communicating the terms and expectations by which all outside speakers are vetted and invited.”
Goldberg assigned students a homework reading assignment due the day of the class that explained the term “pregnant people.”
Reading assigned to Catholic University students discussing the use of the term “pregnant people” to be inclusive to transgender men. (Credit: Courtesy)
“Trans men and people who are nonbinary are also capable of pregnancy if they have ovaries and a uterus, which is why we often use the term pregnant parent,” it reads.
Carbonneau told the class that she has advised pregnant mothers to have an elective abortion.
“I am an abortion doula as well and I know I’m at Catholic University,” she said. “I was a student here myself so I know that carries a lot of weight.”
“I have the honor and the privilege of working with families that have had to make the hardest decision of their entire lives and I will tell you, because I work with so many people that are having what we would consider an elective abortion in sort of the legal language… it is a crushing decision you have to make.”