Idaho Republican 'Deeply Sorry' For Comparing Human Women To Dairy Cows

This is actually not going where you think it's going.

Earlier this week, newly minted Republican Idaho state Rep. Jack Nelson (R-Jerome) went to his very first meeting of the state House Agricultural Affairs Committee, where he introduced himself by saying “I’ve milked a few cows, spent most of my time walking behind lines of cows, so if you want some ideas on repro and the women’s health thing, I have some definite opinions.”

He then laughed at what he thought was his own very funny joke.

Surprisingly enough, the comparison of women to farm animals did not go over particularly well, resulting in a whole lot of criticism both in op-eds and on social media. 

“ICYMI: Idaho Republican Rep. Jack Nelsen compares women to farm animals and says experience working with cattle has given him "ideas on repro and women's health thing" in his first-ever committee meeting.”

— Idaho Democratic Party (@Idaho Democratic Party) 1673542983 

“The way I phrased my statement about women and reproductive rights yesterday completely missed the mark,” Nelson said in an emailed statement to the Idaho Statesman . “I am deeply sorry. I recognize the mistake and commit to doing better in the future."

I have to be honest here — I might actually be too confused to be properly offended. I don't know what this means! Any of it! I truly cannot conceive of how someone would get their opinions about women's health from walking behind rows of cows or by milking cows. Are the cows giving birth while he's walking behind them? Is he giving them abortions? Did I actually just Google "cow abortions"?

Do people even really still milk cows themselves?

Kiki asking the important questions here. Source: Peacock 

I think it is fair to say that I understand about as much about what goes on on a farm as most Republican legislators understand "the women's health thing."

Compounding the weirdness is the fact that Nelson is actually ... pro-choice? Like, he's a Republican from Idaho comparing women to farm animals, and under normal circumstances I would know where to go with that — but he says he doesn't think the government should tell us whether or not we can have an abortion.

“I absolutely respect women and the right to choose their own health care,” he said in his statement. “I have always operated and will continue to operate under the standard that the government does not belong in the doctor’s office.”

Are cows the new wives and daughters?

Now that I think about it, if milking cows is what led Jack Nelson, a Republican from Idaho, to support reproductive rights ... I would love to know more about his journey here. I want to know how this all connected in his head and if it can somehow help other Republican legislators form better opinions on "the whole women's health thing." As far as reproductive rights go, I have an Oleta Adams Policy — which is to say that "I don't care how you get here, get here if you can." If we can secure abortion access by pushing more conservatives towards careers in dairy farming or encouraging them to send their children to 4H Cow Camp (if that is a thing, I assume it's a thing), I say why not?

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