On Saturday, 20 of the 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls participated in a forum on reproductive rights. Planned Parenthood hosted the forum, which took place at the University of South Carolina, and candidates discussed how they would support safe, accessible abortion if elected president.
The forum included a Q&A segment from the audience, and while there were many highlights, a question concerning trans inclusivity in reproductive health stands out. And relative long shot Julián Castro gave a standout answer, too.
The audience member noted that they identify as non-binary before asking Castro their question.
Castro answered, giving a thorough walk-through of how he would support trans identities in reproductive health, and how in the past he has supported trans people accessing fair and safe housing. Before that, though, he asked what pronouns the audience member uses.
New York magazine correspondent Olivia Nuzzi tweeted out the exchange.
As of now, the audience member’s full name hasn’t been released, but they’ve been referred to as “Oluchi” by Renee Bracey Sherman, a fellow reproductive rights activist, on Twitter.
Here is Castro’s response:
Castro is the only presidential hopeful who publicly asked about pronouns the whole night as of this writing. Hopefully, he’s set the standard, and others will ask about pronouns before assuming, too.
It’s important to remember that reproductive health isn’t just about women. In fact, trans men, nonbinary people, agender people, intersex people, and others can seek or receive abortions. Even beyond abortion, under the umbrella of reproductive health, a trans man could, for example, seek birth control, STI testing, cancer screenings, and so on.
Lasting impressions? Reproductive health is for everyone—and it’s always a good move to ask someone’s pronouns! Don’t assume based on their appearance, or even their name.
And if you’re curious about learning more about nonbinary identities, here are some cool videos of people discussing what being nonbinary means to them.
What’s most important to keep in mind, however, is that there isn’t a “right” or “wrong” answer here. What connects or resonates with one person might miss the mark for someone else. Just as someone may define their womanhood in a way very different from the next person, nonbinary people can have the same range of experiences and diversity.