PHOENIX, AZ — Today, Independent Women celebrated the House Committee on Government passage of the Arizona Sex-based Terms Act (House Bill 2062), inspired by Independent Women’s Stand With Women legislative options, and applauded Arizona State Representative Lisa Fink (R-27) for introducing the bill and her commitment to advancing this legislation into law. By fortifying the definitions of male and female terms in law, Independent Women’s sex-definition model in Arizona would preserve the legal existence of women as distinct from men and help safeguard the existence of single-sex spaces—including rape crisis centers, locker rooms, and prisons.

If passed by the legislature and signed into law, the Arizona Sex-based Terms Act would:

  • Define common sex-based terms, such as ‘woman,’ ‘man’, ‘female,’ and ‘male,’ for purposes of state administrative law; 
  • Help protect single-sex spaces and opportunities; and
  • Require publicly collected sex-based vital statistics to accurately reflect biology.

Paula Scanlan, legislative liaison for Independent Women, testified in support of the legislation, sharing her experience as a sexual assault survivor of being forced not only to compete with, but share private changing spaces with male swimmer Lia Thomas on the University of Pennsylvania women’s swim team. Christy Narsi, the Phoenix, Arizona chair and national chapter director of Independent Women’s Network, joined Scanlan in testifying.

Paula Scanlan (left) & Christy Narsi (right)
Paula Scanlan (left) & Christy Narsi (right)

The introduction follows national momentum on this issue, including President Donald Trump issuing a day-one executive order that takes on gender ideology extremism, restores biological reality, and protects sex-based rights; federal legislation passing with bipartisan support in the U.S. House to protect women’s-only sports; and a federal district court ruling that strikes down the Biden administration’s attempt to redefine ‘sex’ in Title IX to include ‘gender identity’—vacating the unlawful regulations nationwide. 

Last year, the Arizona legislature passed Stand with Women legislation, but Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed it, disregarding common sense and blocking crucial protections for women’s rights in her state. In 2024, Scanlan visited Arizona to join a press conference celebrating the introduction of this legislation, and Independent Women testified in support. In an op-ed, Scanlan and Narsi urged Gov. Hobbs to become the first female governor to sign the sex-definition legislation. Now, they are calling on her to honor the nationwide mandate of the American people and the will of Arizonans to define what a woman is in the state once and for all. 

“I am honored to serve Arizona in my capacity as a new member of the Arizona Legislature and vowed to make it a priority to define sex-based words and women’s rights. In Arizona, common sex-based words are used in 107 state statutes and yet lack legal definitions. That is why I introduced House Bill 2062, inspired by Independent Women’s model to restore common sense and ensure our courts have clarity in how to interpret Arizona statutes. With the recent federal bipartisan support for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, it should be easy for Arizona leaders across the aisle to support this legislation that helps to protect female spaces and opportunities,” said Rep. Lisa Fink.

“Rep. Lisa Fink’s legislation to define ‘woman’ so women’s rights aren’t erased is so important. Last year the Arizona legislature passed similar legislation, but Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed the common-sense, pro-woman bill. Hopefully, after the election mandate of 2024, bipartisan passage of similar legislation in Congress, and executive action by President Trump, the legislature can pass this bill quickly, and Gov. Hobbs can make the right choice this year. 2025 is the year for women’s rights in Arizona to be protected,” said Paula Scanlan. 

“Rep. Lisa Fink rightly recognizes the need for legislation that defines sex-based terms, and as an Arizona parent, I’m grateful she introduced Arizona House Bill 2062. It’s time to give Governor Hobbs another chance to do the right thing and ensure the 3 million women and girls—including my two daughters—across the state have equal rights and opportunities,” said Christy Narsi.

In addition to President Trump’s executive order, Kansas, Tennessee, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Arkansas have adopted legislation inspired by Independent Women’s sex-definition model, impacting the lives of over 14 million women and girls who reside in those states. 

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