Two states – Oklahoma and Louisiana – have enacted laws that recognize the biological differences between men and women, and preserve women’s privacy and sex-segregated spaces.
According to Liberty Counsel, both laws establish “legal definitions for man, woman, male, female, boy, girl, mother, and father by recognizing the natural differences of the sexes ‘at birth.’”
They also “intentionally differentiate between the sexes to protect women’s spaces and competitions from the intrusion of gender-confused males.”
Louisiana
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed the Women’s Safety and Protection Act (HB 608) into law on June 3. The act was approved by the Oklahoma House in an 80-17 vote, while the Oklahoma Senate approved the bill in a 29-10 vote.
The bill clearly defines “sex,” “male” and “female” in state law.
According to the text of the bill, a “female” is: “an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova; who has, had, will have or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes eggs for fertilization.”
Likewise, the bill defines a “male” as “an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female who has, had, will have or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes sperm for fertilization.”
This precise definition of “female” and “male” is important; it makes the law easier to defend in court from lawsuits by leftist legal organizations like the ACLU and the SPLC that are sure to follow.
HB 608 also provides protections for women and girls in correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, domestic violence shelters, dormitories, and restrooms where women “have been traditionally afforded safety and protection from acts of abuse committed by biological men.”
“The attack on women that we have seen taking place across our country has no place in the state of Louisiana,” said Governor Landry in a statement.
I am proud to sign House Bill 608 which protects women’s safety and reinforces the very definition of what it means to be a woman. Enough is enough. Louisiana will not stand idly by and allow biological men to take advantage of opportunities for women. We want women across the country to know that your privacy, safety, and opportunities are valued and will always be protected in Louisiana.
Women’s rights advocate Riley Gaines applauded Gov. Landry’s approval of the bill. “I am grateful to all the legislators who sent the ‘Women’s Safety and Protection Act’ to his desk and to Governor Landry for making sure Louisiana women will never fall victim to men stealing their opportunities or spaces,” she said.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed the Women’s Bill of Rights (HB 1449) into law on May 31. The measure passed the Oklahoma Senate by a 35-7 vote, while the state’s House approved the bill by an overwhelming 79-17 margin.
The Oklahoma bill defines “male” and “female” with the exact wording of the Louisiana bill.
Oklahoma state Senator Jessica Garvin, the principal Senate author of the bill, notes that the bill appropriately defines “male” and “female,” thereby permitting the government to differentiate between the sexes to “ensure privacy and safety in restrooms, athletic facilities, locker rooms, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, prisons and other detention facilities.”
HB 1449 takes effect on November 1, 2024.
According to Liberty Counsel, “at least 13 states now have laws protecting women and girls in public facilities, while at least six other states also codify into law the definitions of ‘sex,’ ‘male,’ and ‘female,’ such as Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, and Tennessee.”
It’s unfortunate that bills like HB 608 and HB 1449 are necessary in our time. And yet they are.
Even more so, it takes courage and fortitude for state representatives and governors to stand up to modern gender ideology by reaffirming something that has been known by human beings for all of history: men and women are distinct, immutable and complementary sexes.
As a result of Oklahoma and Louisiana lawmakers’ bravery, women will be safer and more protected in both the Pelican State and the Sooner State. And that is a good thing indeed.
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