“The View” co-host Sara Haines has defended earlier comments she made on marriage and children, stating her views were being “misconstrued.” Haines had previously appeared on the show where she criticized conservative influencer Isabel Brown’s remarks at CPAC. During the event, 28-year-old Brown encouraged young women to “grow up and have the courage to get married and have kids — more kids than they can afford before they think they’re ready.” Discussing Brown’s comments, Haines said that Brown’s comments wraps a woman’s worth up in her ovaries in a way that for too long has happened.” “The fact that we keep putting this on women that their only worth in society, politics, policies, is if they produce a baby or have a husband, is the stupidest, most old-fashioned thing. We have come too far,” she said. “The world has over 8 billion people. We no longer need to force people to procreate and pump out babies. We have arrived here. Women and girls now have a choice. Let them do that.”

Haines’s comments were quickly picked up by conservatives as being anti-marriage and family. “Sarah Haines on The View says women don’t need marriage or kids like it’s some outdated idea… but ignores the simple reality that every single person on earth came from a woman,” wrote conservative commentator Brandon Tatum. “This ‘boss bae’ mindset isn’t empowering—it’s emotional, disconnected, and completely detached from how society actually functions.” Brown also weighed in, claiming “The View’s” producer’s had refused to let her on the show to discuss her viewpoint. “I genuinely harbor no ill will toward any of these women – I’ve never even met any of them!!” she wrote. “…but do remain utterly stumped at their lack of social awareness for why people across the cultural and political spectrum didn’t react well to their insane attack on the family & motherhood specifically.”

Appearing on the “Behind the Table” podcast, Haines tried to clarify her position. “”My issue was with the greater message. I love babies. I love being married. I love all those things. But there’s so much pressure in this world on women to define themselves by if they’re married and if they have babies,” she said. She added that her own opinion was based on her experiences and those of women around her and that getting married and having children may not be easy for everyone. “”My take comes from a place of empathy and life lived,” Haines said. “Knowing so many women, having been single, like dating for years and not knowing if I was going to find my person to get married,” she said. “They make it sound like this easy choice. Get married, have kids. There are so many amazing women I know that aren’t meeting people.” She claimed that Brown had “misconstrued” her viewpoint. “”I know too many women that, for whatever reason, aren’t married, don’t have kids, and they matter,” she said. “I would never want to dim someone’s light in life by saying they matter less because of that.”