CONCORD, NH — Independent Women sent a letter Friday to New Hampshire legislators, cautioning the advancement of SB 268/HB 148. If passed by the legislature and signed into law, SB 268/HB 148 will allow men to legally continue to self-identify into women’s private spaces, such as restrooms, shower rooms, locker rooms, prisons, and athletics. Independent Women has been leading the fight to define ‘sex’ and protect women’s spaces and sports nationwide. While we understand SB 268/HB 148 is well-intended, unfortunately it is misguided and fails to safeguard single-sex spaces.
The letter was signed by a coalition of female athletes, sorority members, and ambassadors for Independent Women, including Independent Women ambassador, Riley Gaines, who have all been victims of gender ideology and want to maintain single-sex spaces in order to protect privacy, fairness, safety, and equal opportunity for women.
The letter lists a series of revisions to the proposed bill that would guarantee that the rights of girls and women in New Hampshire are protected. The letter states, in part that:
“By including ‘gender identity’ throughout the bill, it explicitly allows men to enter women’s spaces and affirms an extreme assault on the erasure of women and single-sex spaces, which over 80% of the country opposes.”
In light of the President’s recent Executive Orders relating to sex-based definitions and women’s sports, as well as a federal district court ruling that struck down nationwide the Biden administration’s attempt to redefine “sex” in Title IX to include “gender identity,” now is the time to carefully and correctly clarify what unlawful discrimination is: allowing males to enter female-only spaces and take away opportunities for New Hampshire’s women and girls.
Until this bill omits the language of “gender identity,” New Hampshire women will continue to lose out to men. The proposed reforms to this legislation would ensure that women are not erased, but until then, Independent Women cautions against the advancement of SB 268/HB 148.
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