First state passes ‘Women’s Bill of Rights’ law that defines gender as a person’s biological sex at birth" title="First state passes ‘Women’s Bill of Rights’ law that defines gender as a person’s biological sex at birth" />

Kansas has made history by becoming the first US state to pass a bill that defines gender based on biological sex at birth. The legislation, known as SB 180 or the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” restricts men, regardless of gender identity, from using women’s bathrooms, locker rooms, sports and other intimate spaces. It also segregates inmates and restricts participation in sports by biological sex.

The bill passed after the state legislature voted to override Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of the legislation. Under the new law, a female is defined as “an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce eggs,” and a male is defined as “an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the eggs of a female”. It also defines gender words, requiring that “woman” and “girl” be used to refer to human females and “man” and “boy” to refer to human males. Also, “mother” is defined as a parent of the female sex, and “father” is a parent of the male sex.

The bill had supporters on both sides of the aisle, with some women’s rights groups celebrating the veto override. However, opponents called the bill anti-trans and compared it to racial segregation. The legislation also faced criticism for not including “intersex” people. The bill includes a provision that recognizes individuals with medically verifiable diagnoses of sexual developmental disorders/differences.

There have been reports of assaults on women by men who identify as women, raising concerns about safety in women’s spaces. A recent incident in Ontario, Canada involved a man who identified as a transgender woman sexually assaulting a biological woman at a women’s shelter. There are also ongoing civil rights lawsuits filed by female inmates who reported being raped by men who identified as women.

Transgender inmate Ramel Blount pleaded guilty last year to raping an inmate while she showered. Blount, a biological man who goes by the first name “Diamond,” was housed with women at New York’s Rikers Island prison.

Blount, 33, admitted to grabbing the inmate by the neck and holding her against her will while raping her, the Bronx County District Attorney’s office said.

Bills similar to Kansas’ “Bill of Rights for Women” are pending in other states, including Oklahoma and Montana.

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