Culture
Kansas becomes first to pass Women’s Bill of Rights that defines ‘woman’ as someone who is ‘biologically born a female’
Kansas has become the first state to pass a bill that characterizes a ‘woman’ as someone who is biologically born female in a move that paves the way for prohibiting transgender people from single-sex areas.
Lawmakers voted in support of the Women’s Bill of Rights on Thursday which has already provoked fiery backlash from the Kansas Senate Democrats who said it was ‘equally offensive’ to trans and cisgender women.
But Republican Senator Renee Ericksson, who initiated the bill, asserted it was a ‘very factual’ and ‘objective’ move.
Kansas became the first state to pass a bill that defines ‘woman’ as someone who is biologically born female. The move was spearheaded by Republican Senator Renee Erickson, pictured
The bill defines a female as someone ‘whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova’ while ‘male’ refers to anyone whose reproductive system ‘is developed to fertilize the ova of a female.’
It could also put an end to transgender men and women from altering their birth certificates and driver’s licenses after transitioning and they may be mandated to use restrooms and other facilities associated with the gender established to them at birth.
Senators voted 26-10 to approve the bill though it received no Democratic support.
It had already been vetoed by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly who had quashed two previous proposals.
The issue of what a ‘woman’ is has been the center of a fiery culture war in the US, with trans activists arguing its definition should be inclusive of people who were born male but later identify as female.
Left-leaning politicians all over the world have been thrown off-kilter by interviewers who asked them to define what a ‘woman’ is.
Last year Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson triggered ridicule when she answered the question by saying ‘I am not a biologist.’
Senator Erickson told the Washington Times: ‘What this does is simply codify in the law the definition of sex.
‘It simply says that in existing statute or law, where there is a definition of sex, it means biological male and female as determined at birth. That’s very factual, it’s very objective.’
However she said the bill does not deal with ‘gender identity.’
‘There are legitimate reasons to distinguish between the sexes with respect to prisons, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers and other areas where safety and privacy are needed,’ Erickson added.
‘This bill does not create any new rights or entitlements. It simply codifies the definition of sex as biological male and female in existing statutes and laws.’
