Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced this week her intention of introducing a bill requiring both male and female car crash test dummies after claiming “they are nowhere near achieving equality,” regarding safety testing to keep women safe on the road.
The Democrat congresswoman, who serves as the chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, lamented, “The federal government only uses crash test dummies modeled on male bodies, and car companies are not required to use dummies modeled on female bodies either,” in a Monday press release.
I’ll be introducing a bill to require that car crash test dummies be modeled on both male and female bodies. Currently, the federal government only uses crash test dummies modeled on male bodies, and car companies are not required to use dummies modeled on female bodies.
— Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton (@EleanorNorton) June 1, 2021
Highlighting “biological differences in anatomy” between the sexes, including “neck strength and posture,” Norton claimed such differences “affect how female and male bodies react in a crash.”
“Since cars are not required to be tested with the safety of women in mind, women are at higher risk of injury and death in car crashes,” she said.
Norton, who is a non-voting member of the House of Representatives, claimed that women have yet to achieve full equality as a result of the lack of female crash test dummies.
“Women have achieved equality on the road when it comes to driving, but when it comes to safety testing to keep them safe on the road, they are nowhere near achieving equality,” Norton said.
“Crash test standards are incredibly antiquated, and we must update these standards now, especially as more people return to their daily commute in the next few months,” she added.
Many took to social media to ridicule the initiative, with some comically suggesting the need for transgender crash test dummies, with others questioning how many current crash test dummies identify as males.
“What about dog and cats dummies, need to test on them to!” wrote one Twitter user.
“Strange, after watching footage of you smashing your way into a wide-open parking spot… Apparently, America already has Female Crash Dummies,” wrote another user, referencing poor driving skills on the congresswoman’s part, which were captured on film in 2015.
“Of all the problems in the country this is what you are worried about,” wrote another. “Unreal.”
“What about Trans crash test dummies? Can they participate in Female crash tests? Honest question….” wrote yet another.
“So you’re acknowledging biological differences between men and women?” quipped another user.
“Our southern border is a joke, our enemies are hacking us and you’re worried about dummies,” wrote another. “Good Lord, get a grip.”
Are you serious? They’re dummies and you want to waste time and our money on this crap? Our southern border is a joke, our enemies are hacking us and you’re worried about dummies. Good Lord, get a grip
— Missy (@missymohum) June 4, 2021
“I thought I had read a Babylon Bee article at first when I heard about this story but you actually did say this,” another wrote.
“Do you realize not a single constituent, much less a single American, cares about the ‘sex’ of a crash dummy?” wrote yet another.
According to Consumer Reports, dummies aren’t modeled accurately for men, either, with current dummies modeled on a 171-pound man, whereas the average American adult male weighs 198 pounds.
In April, Norton introduced bill H.R. 51 to make Washington, DC, the 51st state, which was met with staunch resistance from Republicans and failed in Congress.
Her push for gender reform comes amid a party-wide effort to further gender equality under the new Biden administration.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein
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