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Fact check: Pennsylvania bill proposing restrictions on male reproductive rights is satirical

McKenzie Sadeghi   | Paste BN
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The claim: A Pennsylvania state House Democrat introduced a bill requiring vasectomies

In response to controversial abortion restrictions in some states, a Pennsylvania state House Democrat introduced a parody bill requiring men over 40 or who have had third child six weeks earlier to get a vasectomy.

But the proposed legislation is being misrepresented in articles and social media posts online, where people claim it isn't a joke and that Democrats in Pennsylvania are forcing sterilization on men. 

"Pennsylvania House Democrat Introduces Forced Sterilization - Three-Child Limit Legislation," reads the headline of an Oct. 4 Gateway Pundit article with more than 7,000 Facebook shares. 

Similar versions of the claim have made their way to Instagram and Facebook.

"This is not satire, this bill was actually introduced yesterday. PA Democrats are pushing for FORCED sterilization after giving birth to 3 kids," reads an Oct. 5 Instagram post with more than 400 likes. "Refusing sterilization will result in a $10,000 fine."

The posts are misleading. The proposed satirical bill was meant to draw attention to restrictions on women in other states such as Texas. 

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Jim Hoft, the author of the Gateway Pundit article, and the social media users did not return a request for comment. 

Bill is satirical

On Oct. 2, Pennsylvania state Rep. Chris Rabb announced he plans to introduce a bill requiring men to undergo a vasectomy within six weeks of their third child or their 40th birthday, whichever comes first. 

However, the memo was meant to parody legislation in the U.S. restricting women's reproductive rights, and Rabb told Paste BN his bill was never intended to pass. 

"The backlash I've received from a proposed bill that will never see the light of day is reflective of why I drafted it to begin with," Rabb said. 

He added that men are "not used to having their rights infringed on when it comes to their bodily autonomy" and the thought that they could be restricted to the same level as women shows the "extraordinary double standard that exists in public policy and society at large."

In an Oct. 4 statement, Rabb said his bill was inspired by Illinois Democratic state Rep. Kelly Cassidy's TExAS Act, which gives Illinois residents the right to seek $10,000 in damages against anyone who causes an unwanted pregnancy, or commits sexual assault or abuse. 

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“To each person who views this bill I’ve introduced as absurd, I’d urge you to apply equal scrutiny to laws in places like Texas and right here in Pennsylvania, which enact paternalistic restrictions on the personal liberty of cis women, trans men and nonbinary individuals who have an unwanted pregnancy," Rabb said in a statement. 

As of Oct. 7, the bill has not been officially introduced. 

Our rating: Missing context

Based on our research, we rate MISSING CONTEXT the claim that a Pennsylvania state House Democrat introduced a bill requiring vasectomies. Rabb announced he plans to introduce legislation requiring vasectomies for men, but it's a parody bill, which the posts fail to mention. Rabb said his bill "will never see the light of day." 

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