IDAHO — The Idaho House of Representatives has voted to pass House Bill 421, which aims to revise definitions regarding "sex" and "gender" in state statute language.
The bill text states there are only two sexes, male and female. The bill also states that rare disorders of sexual development are not exceptions, and an individual's sex is not determined by self-identification.
The bill passed the House on Feb. 07th, with a vote of 54-14.
While presenting the bill, Rep. Julianne Young from District 30 said of the bill, "It is evident based in the testimony that we have heard, that there are some in society who believe that biology-based definitions of male and female are by virtue of their very existence, harmful. If we accept this premise and carry it to its natural conclusion in state policy, the result is a loss of protected private spaces for females, including changing rooms and restrooms."
Against the bill, Representative Ilana Rubel from District 18 debated, "This [bill] doesn't do anything to make anybody's life any better, it only harms. Really the only thing that this bill accomplishes is making already vulnerable, beleaguered minority feel further persecuted and feel that their legislature just wants to legislate them out of existence."
Planned Parenthood also reacted negatively to the bill.
In a statement, Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman, the Idaho State Director of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates wrote, “It cannot be said enough: Idaho deserves better than this. For people whose job it is to represent the state, they are awfully quick to dismiss people’s call on them to make things better instead of worse. But this isn’t the end of the road. We will keep fighting for LGBTQ+ Idahoans to be heard, respected, and loved. For the people negatively impacted by these dismissive conversations: we see you, you matter."
