MIAMI — Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva is issuing an apology after repeatedly using the term “host body” to describe pregnant women in an interview with CBS Miami.
Oliva, a Republican, was asked about abortion.
“Well the challenge there is that there are two lives involved,” Olivia said. “So, where I believe that we should stay out of people’s lives, I don’t believe that people’s lives should be taken. It’s a complex issue because one has to think, well there’s a host body and that host body has to have a certain amount of rights because at the end of the day, it is that body that carries this entire other body to term. But there is an additional life there.”
CBS Miami says Olivia used the clinical term "host body" five times during the interview, including when asked about setting limits on abortions based on viability.
“As technology moves along, a human body can exist outside of its host body earlier and earlier," Oliva said. "And so then one has to think, until what time does the host body have veto power over this other life?”
He also talked about life beginning at conception.
“Science believes that,” Oliva said. “I mean the only definition of science of life is something that grows. From the moment that conception occurs there begins to be growth. And so scientifically that’s what it is. But that’s not the question. The question is: What is the value of that life? And is it subordinate to the value of its host body?”
Democrats Fire Back
Democrats quickly went on the offensive after hearing Oliva's comments. State Democratic Chair Terry Rizzo said the words were “hurtful, dehumanizing and misogynistic.”
“You’d expect to hear this offensive language in the ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ — not from the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives,” Rizzo told the Orlando Sentinel.
Orlando State Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat, also responded with harsh criticism on Twitter.
“With all due respect Mr. Speaker, my body is not a ‘host’ and personal medical decisions around my pregnancy belong to me, my family, my doctor, and my faith— not to politicians," her tweet read.
Oliva Issues Apology
In a statement sent to the Orlando Sentinel, Oliva clarified his use of the word “host” “was an attempt to use terminology found in medical ethics writings with the purpose of keeping the discussion dispassionate.”
He also issued an apology.
“I apologize for having caused offense, my aim was the contrary. This is and will continue to be our society’s greatest challenge. I strongly believe both mother and child have rights and the extent and balance of those rights remain in question. I regret my wording has distracted from the issue. My apologies to all,” his statement read.
Florida's Stance on Abortion
Oliva told CBS Miami taking on bills that would restrict abortion are not among his main priorities in the 2019 legislative session. This is despite the fact Republicans have already filed several bills to restrict abortion.
One such proposal from Republican Rep. Mike Hill of Pensacola would make it a third-degree felony to perform abortions "when a fetal heartbeat is detected." The bill also redefines a fetus as an "unborn human being" categorized as such "from fertilization until live birth."
Efforts to pass similar bills are underway in Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Abortions up to 24 weeks are currently allowed in the state of Florida.
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