ALBANY, NY — Independent Women’s Voice (IWV) today condemns the passage of New York’s “Proposal 1,” a radical constitutional amendment that permanently enshrines the right for males to access women’s spaces, including domestic abuse shelters, locker rooms, sororities, sports, and prisons. Far from promoting equality, this amendment erodes the rights, privacy, and safety of over 10 million New York women and girls, while dissolving parental rights.

In pushing Proposal 1 through the ballot process, the New York legislature circumvented the state’s constitutionally-required legislative procedure to force the anti-woman initiative on the ballot, misleading New York women and families and glossing over the law’s dangerous implications.

Proposal 1 expands New York’s constitutional protections to include “gender identity,” “gender expression,” and “age,” cementing a basis for men to self-identify into women’s spaces and rob New York girls and women of their privacy, equal opportunities, and scholarships. By including an “age” protection, the amendment effectively gives children “gender identity”-based rights, opening the door for the social “transition” of children in schools without parental involvement or even notification. It is the first state in the nation to add such extreme language to their state constitution.

With Proposal 1 permanently enshrined, New York has redefined “sex” to mean one’s “gender identity” or “gender expression,” making sex-based protections meaningless and subjective.

Independent Women’s Voice will continue to advocate for policies that genuinely uphold women’s rights and advance meaningful protections for all New York women, children, and families.

“It is heartbreaking to see Prop 1 pass in my home state. This radical amendment permanently enshrines in New York’s constitution the right for men to enter women’s spaces. It is now law for young girls and women to endure what I went through—being forced to undress with men in locker rooms and lose out on opportunities to compete in sports and earn scholarships. New York has effectively erased women’s rights to privacy, safety, and equal opportunity, but I will continue using my voice to fight for the protections that New York girls and women deserve,” said Paula Scanlan, a New York resident and Independent Women’s Voice legislative liaison. Scanlan wrote a piece in Washington Examiner showing how Prop 1 is one of the most radically anti-woman proposals put forth in a state. 

“Proposal 1 was the most deceptively worded and intentionally unclear measure I’ve seen as a voter. When the voters are asked in polls about the consequences of Prop 1, such as enshrining the ‘right’ of men to enter women’s sports and spaces, encouraging schools to hide critical information from parents, and greenlighting race and sex discrimination, these results are overwhelmingly unpopular, but many likely didn’t see the connection between the proposal’s language and its results. While we’re disappointed with the outcome, we will continue to fight for the sex-based rights women deserve in New York state,” said IWV Senior Policy Analyst and New York resident Inez Stepman. Stepman penned an op-ed in Townhall on why New York voters should understand the consequences of Prop 1. 

“It is a sad day for New Yorkers as the anti-women, anti-children, and anti-family constitutional amendment passed. Enshrining harmful gender ideology in the state constitution grants a basis for men to invade women’s sports and private spaces. Parents’ rights will be eroded, and the consequences are devastating for all New Yorkers. While we are saddened that Prop 1 passed, we will continue the fight for truth and common sense,” said Beth Parlato, senior legal advisor for Independent Women’s Law Center. Parlato penned an earlier op-ed in The New York Sun, calling out the New York legislature for circumventing the state’s constitutionally-required legislative procedure in order to place Proposal 1 on the ballot.

Additional background on IWV’s efforts to sound the alarm against Prop 1:

  • Judy Pino, a spokeswoman and advisor on Hispanic issues for IWV, authored a Spanish op-ed in El Diario NY about how Latinas must stand up for fairness, safety, and family values by rejecting Prop 1. 
  • IWV State Affairs Manager Makenna McCoy wrote an op-ed in the New York Daily News on how Prop 1 would harm existing rights for senior citizens.
  • Paula Scanlan spoke at a Manhattan press conference on how Prop 1 would endanger New York women and girls.
  • Inez Stepman also spoke at a press conference to sound the alarm on New York’s dangerous Prop 1 measure. 
  • IWV’s grassroots arm, Independent Women’s Network, garnered signatures on a petition to reject New York’s Prop 1.
  • IWV’s sister organization, Independent Women’s Forum, and Independent Women’s Law Center first filed an official comment to the New York State Board of Elections urging clear and precise ballot language for Prop 1. 

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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.