Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Independent Women’s Voice and Independent Women’s Law Center stood alongside Rep. Jim Banks (IN-03), Rep. Debbie Lesko (AZ-08), Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-22), Rep. Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), Rep. Mary Miller (IL-18), Women’s Liberation Front, Heritage Action, and Concerned Women for America to introduce a House resolution that would define biological sex as a distinct legal category.
In addition to the House co-leads, the resolution’s co-sponsors include Rep. Victoria Spartz (IN-05), Rep. Ronny Jackson (TX-13), Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Rep. Barry Moore (AL-02) and Rep. Ralph Norman (SC-05). A companion resolution was introduced by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Rep. Debbie Lesko said: “My colleagues and I are introducing the Women’s Bill of Rights to affirm the importance of acknowledging women and their unique and distinguishing contributions and our contributions to this nation.”
Rep. Diana Harshbarger added: “I know what being a woman means. It means the incredible honor of being a wife and a mother and a grandmother and a female business owner and now a Congresswoman. I want those same opportunities for our future generations.”
“This Women’s Bill of Rights will codify our common understanding and the reality we all know of the words ‘female,’ ‘woman,’ and ‘sex,’ and I’m proud to support it on behalf of my five daughters, and all women,” said Rep. Mary Miller.
Chairman of the Republican Study Committee Rep. Jim Banks said: “Biological males and biological females possess unique and immutable differences. Those differences are what make men ‘men’ and women ‘women’. And we should celebrate those differences.”
Heather Higgins, CEO of Independent Women’s Voice, said: “We know what a woman is, what a mother is, what a female is. We know that without needing to be biologists. We know there is a difference between sex and gender. Our laws and our politicians should know that too. Anyone who cannot define the word ‘woman’ by definition is unable to support or stand up for the legal rights of women.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said: “Women in America fought hard for decades to have their rights enshrined in federal law and our Constitution. Now, radicals on the left are trying to undermine those rights by redefining what it means to be a woman, sabotaging everything from Title IX rules supporting women in sports to undermining the privacy needs of women in public spaces. As a husband, and father of two girls, I’m proud to stand with Senators Hyde-Smith and Lummis to reaffirm our commitment to protecting the legal rights of women and girls in Texas and throughout the United States.”
The bicameral resolutions reflect the principles contained in the Women’s Bill of Rights (WBOR), which was drafted by Independent Women’s Voice, Independent Women’s Law Center (IWLC), and Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) in March 2022.
To read and sign the Women’s Bill of Rights, click HERE.
A replay of the press conference can be found HERE.
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Independent Women’s Voice fights for women by expanding support for policy solutions that aren’t just well intended, but actually enhance freedom, opportunities, and well-being.
Independent Women’s Law Center advocates for equal opportunity, individual liberty, and respect for the American constitutional order.