On Wednesday, GOP-led legislation establishing a “Women’s Bill of Rights” advanced through the House, but legislators disagreed on whether the government should define women.
A new statute, House Bill 1449, would establish the “natural person’s biological sex at birth” as the definition of “sex.” A “male” is described as an individual who employs sperm for fertilization, whereas a “female” is characterized by a reproductive system that makes, transports, and utilizes eggs. The measure stipulates that fathers must be male and moms must be female.
Important governmental goals including biology, privacy, safety, and fairness could be addressed by the state by establishing gender disparities.
Those in favor of the measure argue that it keeps women’s prisons secure by requiring that prisoners be placed according to their biological gender at birth. They claimed it will provide domestic abuse shelters for women more autonomy in selecting clients and that clients will be required to use restrooms and classrooms that correspond to their biological gender.
Some see it as a covert attack on transgender people in Oklahoma and other vulnerable groups. Their argument was that the measure does nothing to improve the lives of women in the state and is merely an attempt to gain political points during an election year.
The sponsor of the legislation, Republican Toni Hasenbeck of Elgin, noted that there has been a recent “aggressive attempt to eliminate women from being a distinct legal category” in America.
To prevent federal administrators, judges, and bureaucrats from using their own discretion to define “woman,” she argued that the law is essential.
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The importance of maintaining single-sex areas for privacy, safety, and equal opportunity, as well as the need to clarify, establish, and standardize Oklahoma law’s treatment of women, were stressed by Hasenbeck.
According to Hasenbeck, the measure will ensure that women’s prisons remain safe. She said that it would protect children in school locker rooms and other areas and provide domestic violence shelters the freedom to serve anybody they want, regardless of federal laws.
“Fully intact biological males who identify as girls” are made to share private rooms with young women in numerous states, she said. It is now explicitly stated in the statute that the girls’ locker rooms are for girls only. It safeguards women in the workplace and maintains initiatives that help them, she added.
The minority leader of the Oklahoma City Democratic Party, Cyndi Munson, stated that women like herself do not require the state to establish gender norms or personal identity, particularly when that state is presided over by men.
She remarked that her male coworkers should observe males in the Capitol halls to see how they address, touch, and speak to women.
According to oklahomavoice, That kind of legislation is partisan and political, according to Munson. She wanted to know why lawmakers in Oklahoma aren’t just as invested in making sure people can see doctors as they are in blocking legislation that would take autonomy away from women.
She stated that the bill exacerbates the harm that marginalized Oklahomans experience.
When considering the safety and well-being of women, the state comes in last. Regarding “trying to exist in this state as a woman,” Munson stated that the measure fails to address the unfavorable statistics or restore rights.
According to her, more women should be elected to the legislature from both parties so that we can have honest discussions about the issues that women face on a daily basis.
However, Tulsa Republican Rep. Mark Tedford has received 70 communications on a physical male who is accessing parks in Tulsa County and exposing females there to male genitalia.
No action could be taken against women who complained since doing so would be discriminatory, according to those in charge.
In order to manage programs and enforce regulations for facilities that have gender usage distinctions, he was informed by local officials that legislation was needed to clarify sex categories.
He went on to say that defining “woman” was a necessary first step in granting women’s rights, and that the act will help clear up any confusion about who is eligible for gender-specific privileges and advantages.
Most Americans agreed on the necessity to define gender until recently, according to Tedford.
He voiced concern that transgender people in the state might feel “marginalized” if lawmakers passed laws reinforcing more conventional gender roles.
He wished that nobody would feel excluded. Without a certain, no particular group was not meant to be singled out or marginalized by this law. A definition it is. What about the actual incidents where ladies in Tulsa County were exposed to male genitalia in public places?
According to Tedford, the facilities are meant to provide a safe environment for women.
Stillwater Democrat Trish Ranson has voiced her disapproval of the bill’s moniker, claiming that it offers little to advance women’s rights, and hence she dislikes to its naming.
Her main concerns were that the measure did not grant her the autonomy over her own body or the ability to choose her own medical treatment. Furthermore, it does not ensure that women would be paid the same as men for equivalent labor.
Oklahomans who identify as transgender do not pose a threat, she added. Oklahoma is home to an estimated 2,600 transgender children.
For Ranson, the burden of proof for her biological sex will be on her if the bill passes into law. The state’s secondary sports regulating body, she added, has to pry into students’ private lives by asking them about their menstrual cycles to verify their biological genders.
She dreams of a world where men and women are no longer stereotyped and treated with respect.
Everyone in this room should treat me like a human being, not like a second-class citizen, Ranson declared. “I know that probably sets some alarm bells in their minds,” she added. When we come to the bill’s definition, it basically says that you don’t belong unless you fall into one of these categories.
Along party lines, the bill passed the House with 79 votes to 17.
The measure is now on its way to the governor’s desk.
Natalie Clydesdale is a journalist at oklahomansdecide.org, where she covers crucial local and state news with a focus on accuracy and depth. Her extensive experience in investigative reporting ensures readers receive clear and reliable information. Follow her latest updates on Instagram.
