When Idaho legislator likens women’s reproductive rights to cows, it’s no laughing matter | Opinion

Every session of the Idaho Legislature, we can expect a Republican legislator to say something embarrassing that makes Idaho a laughingstock of the nation, like when Rep. Charlie Shepherd, R-Pollock, argued against an early literacy grant that “makes it easier or more convenient for mothers to come out of the home and let others raise their child.”

Or when Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, suggested that women could swallow a camera to check on their pregnancy.

But usually we have to wait a couple of weeks for a legislator to say something like that.

Not this session.

Barely two days into the new session, Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome, uttered some strange words of “wisdom” in a committee hearing.

“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,” said Nelsen, who was a partner in a dairy and farming operation in Jerome for 45 years.

Not only were his comments offensive and embarrassing, they were odd, given that he was simply introducing himself to the House Agriculture Committee. This was how he chose to introduce himself, by comparing women’s health care with milking a cow?

After making his comments, Nelsen gave a chuckle, as if it were a laughing matter.

It’s not.

Women’s reproductive health care is certain to be an important topic of discussion this session, the first since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and Idaho’s strict abortion bans went into effect.

Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, already has suggested that the Legislature might further restrict birth control options legislatively.

It’s scary to think that someone like Nelsen, who fancies himself an expert on “the women’s health thing” because he’s “spent most of my time walking behind a line of cows,” will have a seat at the table when deciding such matters.

It would be nice if men like Nelsen would demonstrate a bit of humility and decency, and not paint themselves as experts in women’s health care — which they certainly are not.

It would also be nice if they kept their mouths shut a little more, didn’t insult women and saved Idaho from national embarrassment.

Statesman editorials are the unsigned opinion of the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe, newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser and community members Johanna Jones and Maryanne Jordan.