Kelley Paul, the wife of Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul, has been criticized for posting a Twitter rant on March 30 that mocks transgender people and claims that “Chinese third graders” are learning “multi-variable calculus.”
Paul posted the tweet a day before International Transgender Day of Visibility, which celebrates transgender people and raises awareness about the discrimination they face worldwide.
In her tweet, she compares education in China to education in the U.S., claiming that while third graders in China are learning calculus, those in the U.S. are being taught that “men can have babies.”
Chinese third graders are learning multi-variable calculus. Our third graders are being taught that “men can have babies.” This will not end well.
— Kelley Paul (@KelleyAshbyPaul)
Many Twitter users branded Paul’s comments as misleading and discriminatory, stating that her claims were “completely made up” and “perpetuating harmful stererotypes” towards both Asian and transgender people.
One user asked, “Literally what school are y’all taking your children to that teach this,” while another wrote, “Well done perpetuating harmful stereotypes about Asian people and encouraging intolerance towards trans people in one tweet.”
What motivates a person to wake up and think “you know what, I’m just gonna make something up and tweet it.” https://t.co/497KMulCLa
— Michael Sevarino (@oldmanjingles) March 31, 2022
The longer we tolerate blatant lies from public figures the more irreparable the damage will be. https://t.co/utlNw4TeBM
— Non Sequitur (@carbondioxide03) March 31, 2022
There is no supporting evidence that the Chinese school system teaches calculus to third graders.
Paul’s claim about transgender people is also misleading, as a transgender man or nonbinary person would only be able to carry a child if they have a functioning uterus and ovaries.
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