Frank Fleming slammed as blogger shames Kate Cox for seeking emergency abortion outside Texas in alluding tweet

AUSTIN, TEXAS: Conservative media personality Frank Fleming sparked outrage this week after posting an insensitive tweet that appeared to shame a Texas woman, Kate Cox, for seeking an emergency abortion out of state.

In a recent X post, Fleming wrote: “When a blood test said our daughter had Trisomy 13 -- a condition where something like 80% don't live through the first year -- we never thought about dismembering her in the womb. Are we weird?”

The post was widely condemned as dismissive of Cox’s traumatic situation and the near-impossible obstacles she has faced securing abortion care in Texas.

Katie Cox's case made national headlines

Cox’s case has made national headlines over the past two weeks as she desperately sought permission for a medically-necessary abortion barred under Texas’ strict ban. According to court filings, Cox learnt in late November that her pregnancy had Trisomy 18, a chromosomal disorder likely to result in stillbirth or her baby dying soon after birth, as reported by Mother Jones.

Her physicians warned Cox that continuing the non-viable pregnancy also threatened her own health and future fertility. However, Texas’ abortion ban has only narrow exceptions for medical emergencies, leaving doctors uncertain about the legality of terminating Cox’s pregnancy.

Last week, Cox won a temporary order from a lower court allowing her to obtain an abortion. But within hours, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent an intimidating letter to her doctor’s employer questioning the legality of the procedure.

AG Paxton then successfully petitioned the conservative Texas Supreme Court to temporarily block the abortion while it reviewed the case.

Katie Kox ultimately leaves Texas

With her health rapidly declining, Cox ultimately had to leave Texas this week to obtain abortion care in another state, according to her attorneys at the Center for Reproductive Rights. The additional travel poses heightened risks for Cox, who has already endured multiple emergency room visits for pregnancy complications.

On Monday evening, December 11, the Texas Supreme Court ruled against Cox’s abortion petition, questioning whether her medical crisis met the narrow exceptions to the state ban. By that point, she had already left Texas out of medical necessity, though her current location is not being disclosed due to safety concerns.

Frank Fleming draws flak

Fleming's comments regarding Cox's situation drew immediate ire from online communities, with users expressing strong condemnation towards his perceived lack of empathy and understanding.

One user took a direct jab at Fleming's lack of personal experience, stating, "When Frank gets pregnant and is leaking amniotic fluid and is in and out of the ER with complications, he can consult doctors as to what's best for him and his family."

Another user's comment reflected a broader sentiment against men opining on matters they might not fully comprehend: "I am sick of hearing from men about this matter. Men who know nothing about health care or pregnancy but are full of wrong ideas they want everyone to hear. Not every situation is the same."

A third user criticized Fleming's perceived lack of empathy and understanding: "Does he believe that Kate Cox's medical situation is no worse than his wife's? This guy has no regard for others' situations at all. He lays thick only his predicament on others and judges them. There's no empathy. Just judgment."

Expressing skepticism regarding Fleming's qualifications, another user commented, "Yea, cause he’s a medical doctor, with extensive experience in women’s reproductive care. He, a politician with NO skin in the game, no fear of a devastating pregnancy, thinks he’s qualified to make the MOST personal decisions for a woman, disregarding her wishes & the advice of her Dr."

Lastly, a user bluntly stated, "Not any of your business Frank, not your problem."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.