'Disgusting filth': Critics and adoptees blast Marjorie Taylor Greene's claim a stepmom is 'not a mother'
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) says that women who are stepmothers are not real mothers, because they are not a child's "biological" parent.
The Georgia Republican delivered that claim during a congressional hearing on Wednesday to a woman who happens to be the head of the nation's second-largest teachers' union, and who also happens to be a lesbian: Randi Weingarten.
"Miss Weingarten," Rep. Greene asked, "Are you a mother?"
"I am a mother by marriage," Weingarten replied. "And my wife is here with me. So I'm really glad that she's here."
"By marriage," Greene noted. "I see."
During her allotted five minutes of questioning, Greene spent nearly the entire time not asking questions, but attacking Weingarten over a wide range of topics. Among them, Weingarten tweeting she supported Twitter suspending Greene for spreading COVID misinformation, which Greene tried to imply meant Weingarten did not support the First Amendment. She also railed against the teachers' union chief for submitting a plan to the CDC on how to protect students, teachers, and staff during the COVID crisis.
But she began and ended her time belittling Weingarten's motherhood.
Greene sternly told Weingarten, "you have no business advising the CDC what the medical guidelines were for school closures, because now we have a nation of schoolchildren who suffered because of it. The problem is people like you need to admit that you're just a political activist. Not a teacher, not a mother and not a medical doctor."
Weingarten, who never professed to be a medical doctor, is both a mother and a teacher.
Many over the past 24 hours have taken Greene's attack as an attack on parents who adopt, and on adopted children.
They are well within their rights to do so.
In July 0f 2022, just after the U.S. Supreme Court revoked a woman's right to choose – a move supported by the right who insisted adoption is the answer to unwanted pregnancies – Greene referred to adoptive parents as "fake," as Newsweek reported.
"Children are in the greatest danger in America today because traditional family values are being destroyed—the idea that mom and dad together, not fake mom and fake dad, but the biological mom and biological dad, can raise their children together and do what's right for their children," she said.
Greene at the time was blasted by adopted children and their parents on social media.
"I don't tweet politics nor usually care about the rantings of a moron. But as part of a family where we are blessed to have adopted members, her referring to non-biological parents as 'fake mom and fake dad' is too offensive to ignore," wrote Philadelphia sports radio host Glen Macnow, as Newsweek noted.
And now, Congresswoman Greene is again declaring non-biological parents not real parents – and not parents at all.
U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) unleashed on his Republican colleague.
"My mom and dad adopted me at birth and they are my parents. Fuck you and your bigoted questions," he tweeted at Rep. Greene.
"Marjorie Taylor Greene doesn’t think you’re a mother if you adopt children. I am adopted and this hurts. I love my mom," tweeted a political science student.
"I was adopted at 3 days old. I only have one Mother as far I’m concerned. She raised me, nurtured me & is my best friend to this day. She is 94 & the roles have reversed. Giving birth alone does not make you a mother. I am highly offended by Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ignorance," wrote a Twitter user.
"As the single mother of adopted daughters, yet one more reason to find Marjorie Taylor Greene a poor excuse for a human being," wrote another.
"If my mother were alive today, she'd cross the street twice to kick Marjorie 'Tuesday' Green's ass. She was not a 'biological' mother. Rather, she was a loving woman who adopted my brother and I, gave us a home & a life. That's a mother," wrote a tech CEO.
"My mom died last year. She adopted me when I was six months old. She wasn’t perfect, but she was the best parent anyone could have asked for. She was my mom. Marjorie Taylor Greene can unkindly go fuck herself," tweeted a photographer.
"Marjorie Taylor Greene, I would like to let you know as an adopted child I think that you are a piece of crap," wrote another Twitter user.
"I was adopted and raised by the two most amazing people I could have been," wrote another Twitter user. "Marjorie Taylor Greene is ... the worst human being on Congress right now, which is saying something. Every word she utters offends me as a human being and as an American. She must be removed!!"
Many more, who did not identify themselves as adopted children or adoptive parents, also blasted Greene.
Among them, MSNBC anchor and legal analyst Katie Phang, who tweeted: "What disgusting filth from MTG. It’s unconscionable to go after amazing people like @rweingarten and countless others who provide unconditional love and support for their children, regardless of whether they’re the biological parents."
Also, political commentator and think tank CEO Sally Kohn, who posted a video clip of Greene and wrote: "Here is the moment where Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested that Randi Weingarten — and EVERYONE who has step children or adopted children — are not real parents. Just nasty and offensive — not to mention wrong!"
Watch Rep. Greene below or at this link: