Pennsylvania senate staffer thinks 'menstruation' is too 'graphic' to talk about but OK to vote on

Congress is gearing up to vote against clinics that provide health care necessary for women, their uterus, their hormones, their birth control, pap smears and various other forms of personal care necessary. Yet, when it comes to discussing the very things they're legislating, it seems some GOP staffers think it's far too graphic.

According to a post from Jezebel, a Philadelphia woman was on a call with a staffer from the office of Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA). She wanted to voice her displeasure with the Republican war on Planned Parenthood and the Affordable Care Act.

The Philly Voice reported, 26-year-old Nina Starner was doing her duty as an informed citizen and called her senator. She wanted to know what Republicans planned to do once Obamacare was repealed. The conversation was curt, to say the least. There were few answers. She then turned to talk about federal funding of Planned Parenthood and the ability for women on Medicaid to use those clinics.

Toomey has been outspoken when it comes to services that these clinics deliver. He's voted to slash Planned Parenthood funding in the past and further believes doctors who perform abortions should be penalized and punished.

“I would support legislation in Pennsylvania that would ban abortion,” Toomey said in a 2009 interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. “And I would suggest that we have penalties for doctors who perform them.”

Starner told The Voice that she schooled the staffer on the Hyde Amendment prohibiting federal dollars from going to abortions, so cutting funding wasn't about that. The staffer claimed that the funds could easily be put toward those services and no one would know. When she demanded details on how Planned Parenthood centers would account for those services, he couldn't answer.

She was asked for her information, including her zip code, which she gave. She also noted that she'd be happy to call back on another day when she could talk to Sen. Toomey about her reproductive system and her period.

That's when things went downhill fast. The staffer told Starner that she shouldn't "be so graphic." She explained to the staffer that Republican lawmakers “should understand [the] workings of reproductive systems since they’re legislating on them.” She alleged that the staffer asked her again to stop being graphic and ended their call.

“I am one of his constituents; it’s my right to voice my dissent, especially since I didn’t vote for Sen. Toomey,” Starner went on. “I feel I have the right to go to a staffer in a frustrated tone of voice.”

Toomey's office has yet to comment on the incident.