Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee. (Washington Blade photo by Yariel Valdés González)
The Florida House introduced a new bill, House Bill 1233, on Jan. 4 seeking to define the terms “man” and “woman” based on biological sex assigned at birth.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dean Black, would legally determine whether a person is male or female based on what is listed on their birth certificate.
Black said in a press release, “Since time immemorial, and for all time yet to come, there are two sexes: male and female. These are immutable, unchanging characteristics in the eyes of the law… And so now, with the filing of this bill we have answered the defining question of this decade, ‘What is a woman?’”
Along with legally defining these terms, the bill would also “replace references to the term ‘gender’ with the term ‘sex’,” according to the bill. This would effect applications for disability ID cards and application requirements for driver licenses and ID cards, prohibiting the issuing of original or replacement driver licenses or ID cards that list a person’s sex as inconsistent with what they were assigned at birth.
“Another sweeping assault on the rights and dignity of transgender Floridians that seeks to deny their existence. It’s disgusting, unnecessary, and we will do everything we can to stop it,” said Rep. Anna V. Eskamani in a Facebook post addressing the new bill.
Equality Florida, a statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, also took to social media speaking out against the bill.
In a Facebook post, Equality Florida accused the bill of “denying transgender Floridians accurate drivers’ licenses and other IDs, attempting to revoke transgender protections in housing, employment and public spaces, reinforcing anti-transgender discrimination in bathrooms, locker rooms, shelters, and more, and required the surveillance and outing of transgender Floridians by public health, crime, and economic data tracking agencies.”
The bill also requires insurers to offer coverage of therapies and mental health services that affirm one’s sex assigned at birth when “a person’s perception that his or her sex is inconsistent with the sex at birth,” in all policies after July 1.
In a post to the organizations X profile, Equality Florida stated that this section of the bill refers to the “widely debunked, fraudulent, and dangerous practice,” of conversion therapy.
“This bill is rooted in a dangerous ideology that denies transgender people do or should exist. It is part of a blatant attempt to oust transgender Floridians and their families from the state, making them political refugees,” said Equality Florida Public Policy Director Jon Harris Maurer. “We are ready to fight.”
LGBTQ+ leaders in Central Florida will be joining Equality Florida in Tallahassee for Pride At The Capitol on Jan. 16-17, a campaign to “show up, make our voices heard, and hold lawmakers accountable for their actions.” For more information on attending, go to EQFL.org/PATC.
