Actress Amber Tamblyn said reproductive rights have "zero to do w/ abortion," and accused the Washington Free Beacon of "majorly" lying about her lack of knowledge on the subject of trans women’s access to women’s health care.
At an event hosted by the Atlantic and Refinery29 on Tuesday, Tamblyn admitted she has much to learn about the reproductive rights of trans women, and whether men who self-identify as women can get abortions.
"I was just wondering what people on the panel think about the role of trans women, especially reproductive rights, and women’s health issues for trans women in light of these things we are talking about," asked the Free Beacon’s Matthew Walther.
Walther followed up by asking whether trans women are "being denied their reproductive rights."
Tamblyn responded she needs to learn a lot more about the issue.
"I wouldn’t know any statistics on that but I would say that goes again with the same notion of community, and fighting for everyone together," she said. "That for me as a heterosexual white woman to talk about reproductive rights and sit on the board of directors for Planned Parenthood, I have to not just talk about my people. I have to talk about everybody. And that’s a huge thing, and that’s a major part of the discussion."
"The fact that I don’t know, the fact that I don’t have an answer should tell you a lot," Tamblyn added. "About what I need to learn."
However, on Thursday, Tamblyn tweeted to her 11,000 Twitter followers saying reproductive rights have "zero to do w/ abortion."
A user asked Tamblyn if she "really thinks that men should have the right to abortion," prompting Tamblyn to say the question, which was about reproductive rights, had nothing to do with abortion.
@dbailey1963 @Atlantic_LIVE Nope. @FreeBeacon majorly lied. The Q asked had zero to do w/ abortion. Anything 4 a catchy clickbait headline.
— Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) July 28, 2016
"Nope. @FreeBeacon majorly lied," she tweeted. "The [question] asked had zero to do [with] abortion. Anything [for] a catchy clickbait headline."
The headline read: "Amber Tamblyn Has a Lot to Learn About Trans Women’s Reproductive Rights."
The Free Beacon followed up with Tamblyn, asking, "Are abortions not a reproductive right?" and "Do you believe transwomen should have control over their own bodies?"
Tamblyn responded "Yes" that trans women should have control over their bodies.
"I have FTM [female-to-male] and MTF [male-to-female] friends," she tweeted. "Insulted u’d even ask when u heard what I said at the panel."
Tamblyn would not respond when pressed again whether abortion is a reproductive right.
"Won't respond any further," she said. "It was an inspired discussion on rights of ALL women. Don't try [to] twist that."