Jess Hilarious is facing major backlash for comments she made about who can have children, sparking a heated debate online that’s got everyone talking. It seems like her recent remarks have ignited a firestorm, especially within and around the transgender community.
Comedian, actress, and podcaster Jessica “Jess Hilarious” Moore found herself trending after alleged comments about the transgender community surfaced from her May 27 conversation with social media influencer Lynae Vanee on The Breakfast Club radio show.
During a discussion about gender constructs and identities, Jess Hilarious interjected with her own strong opinion. She “contributed by reminding her guest to be with a partner who was aware that ‘only women,’ aka people with a uterus, ‘can have babies,” according to reports. Jess directly stated, “And for you to have somebody who knows that women can have babies. Only women can have babies. I just wanted to let you know that… If you have a uterus, you can have a baby”.
However, Lynae Vanee didn’t appear to agree. She seemingly referred to trans men, offering a different perspective: “There are other people who can have babies. If they have a uterus, they can have a baby… You can be biologically female but can’t be biologically a woman.”
While Jess Hilarious didn’t explicitly mention the transgender community in her “uterus” comments, her remarks quickly drew widespread criticism. Social media users rapidly argued that the comedian was implying that only individuals who are biologically female can reproduce, thereby excluding trans women.
The backlash wasn’t limited to general social media users. Internet personality and streamer Kevin Ortega-Rojas directly called out Jess Hilarious during a May 28 Instagram live stream. He didn’t hold back, writing in his caption, “Dear @jesshilarious_official, transphobia affects you too. It’s time to abandon these transphobic talking points because the harm you’re causing will cost real people their lives”.
In response to the mounting criticism, Jessica has seemingly doubled down. She took to her Instagram, sharing a carousel of throwback pictures from her pregnancy days. Her caption on Wednesday was a clear message to her critics: “My uterus is my superpower! – Signed, A Woman”.
This isn’t the first time Jess Hilarious has faced controversy over comments perceived as transphobic. Back in July 2023, she stirred up a similar storm by comparing being transgender to being mentally ill. That incident occurred when she responded to a video by trans TikToker Blessing Rose. Blessing Rose was addressing a transphobic comment, stating, “You don’t own periods, you don’t own womanhood… you experience both, and both are different for every person, but as a cis woman, it doesn’t belong to you, so you can’t gatekeep it”.
Jess Hilarious’s response began with, “Who the f**k is gonna stand up for us?” clarifying that by “us,” she meant “real women.” She then went on to refer to trans women as having a “delusion,” posing the question, “What is the difference between you and someone who has been diagnosed to be mentally insane? The only difference is you don’t have a straitjacket on.”
The internet is divided, and the debate is fierce. What are your thoughts on her recent statements and the backlash she’s receiving? Let us know in the comments below.