Did Glenn Youngkin Allow Police To Search for Women’s Menstrual Histories?

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has come under fire for opposing state legislation regarding information on women's menstrual cycles.

The Details: A bill passed by the Virginia state Senate would have prohibited search warrants for obtaining women’s menstrual data on electronic devices. The bill was tabled after opposition from Youngkin’s deputy secretary of public safety, Maggie Cleary. The action has sparked criticism from The Guardian, Washington Post (Lean Left Bias), the Biden Administration, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).

Misleading Claims? The Guardian suggested Youngkin is clearing an “extreme” path for police to be able to search for women’s menstrual histories, something that is already legal in all 50 states. Newsom said Youngkin is “fighting for access to your menstrual cycle information.”

For Context: Although Youngkin has proposed banning abortions after 15 weeks in Virginia, state law currently only allows law enforcement to prosecute doctors, not abortion recipients.

Key Quotes: Cleary said the bill “would be the very first of its kind that I’m aware of, in Virginia or anywhere, that would set a limit on what search warrants can do.” A spokesperson for Youngkin told The Washington Post, "The governor will not support any measures that seek to prosecute women" for abortions.

How The Media Covered It: The Guardian’s original article remains intact, and tweets promoting it remain up. However, Mediaite and Washington Free Beacon both framed The Guardian’s accusations against Youngkin as false, and noted that the outlet stealth-edited its original headline.