How difficult can it be to define the term “woman?”

For Pennsylvania Democrats, it seems to be a complex issue. Recently, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party introduced a resolution to celebrate National Women’s Month, but they withdrew it after Republicans suggested including a specific definition of the word “woman.”

This situation may sound unbelievable, yet it’s a reality.

The idea seems almost satirical. Concepts such as men and women, boys and girls, male and female have been universally understood throughout history. As mammals, humans are divided into male and female categories. These are biological facts.

However, Pennsylvania Democrats appear to struggle with these facts, finding them perhaps troubling or inconvenient. Nonetheless, when Republicans attempted to insert a definition of “woman” into the resolution, Democrats chose to retract it.

Initially, honoring women sounds commendable. Many women have achieved remarkable things and led inspiring lives. I can attest to this personally, having been raised by an extraordinary woman and being married to another.

Facts don’t matter to Pennsylvania Democrats, who obviously find these facts to be troubling, disconcerting, inconvenient, even embarrassing. But facts they remain, and when Pennsylvania Republicans tried to drop a definition of “woman” into the resolution, they bailed.

House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Southwest Philadelphia, was bringing a rapid-fire succession of bills up for consideration late in Tuesday’s session when she asked the clerk to introduce House Resolution 390.

The bill, from state Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York, recognized March as Women’s History Month in Pennsylvania. Hill-Evans wrote in her presentation of the bill that it “celebrat[es] the extraordinary accomplishments of women,” which “too often go unacknowledged.”

So far, that sounds all right, doesn’t it? Many women have extraordinary accomplishments. Many strong, capable women have led extraordinary lives. I should now; I was raised by a woman like that, and I’m married to another. 

But here’s where the PA debate gets funny, when the resolution was being discussed:

The clerk indicated that state Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-Ellwood City, had an amendment to offer, and McClinton recognized him to introduce it.

“Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this amendment is very straightforward and clear,” Bernstine announced.

“It defines what a woman actually is — because we do know what that is. Thank you,” he said.

Audio in the House chamber briefly paused as movement could be seen on the leadership’s dais.

“The resolution is temporarily over,” McClinton announced after several seconds, sparking loud laughter from the chamber.

They ran and ran and ran and ran away.