By Jyoti Jha
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt made a decision that changed the meanings of the words “male” and “female” in the state’s rules. This move has caused a lot of concern among LGBTQ+ people and organizations who see it as a targeted attack on transgender rights in Oklahoma.
Why Is That A Problem For The LGBTQ+ Community?
Gender-based pronouns and terms like Male and Female can be seen as disrespectful to gender fluidity and the LGBTQ+ community. This means that we are assuming that there are only two genders: male and female, and disregarding others.
This excludes a significant part of the population that does not identify strictly as male or female. Therefore, people who are genderfluid, non-binary, or transgender will hardly benefit from this sort of legislation.
What Are The Terms, And What Do They Mean?
- Male- The new definitions in the executive order say that “male” refers to someone whose body can fertilize a female’s eggs.
- Female- “female” refers to someone whose body can produce eggs.
- The terms “man,” “boy,” “woman,” and “girl” will now be used according to these definitions of “male” and “female”.
- Mother- The order also defines a “mother” as the female parent
- Father- A “father” is referred to as the male parent of a child.
What Institutions Does This Order Include?
According to the executive order, all state agencies, including public schools, have to mention each person as either male or female based on these definitions. It also suggests having separate facilities for males and females, like separate sections in prisons and separate bathrooms and locker rooms in public schools.
Have There Been Similar Laws In Other States?
This decision by Governor Stitt is similar to a bill that was proposed in Alabama earlier, which had the same definitions for male, female, man, and woman.
The governor’s office claims that this executive order is meant to protect women and women-only spaces. However, the LGBTQ+ group Freedom Oklahoma sees it as an attempt to discriminate against transgender women. They argue that it could lead to more violations of civil rights, making it easier for people to judge and harass women based on their gender.
What Will Be The Impact?
This issue is part of a larger problem in the US, where transgender rights are under attack. For example, in Tennessee, a federal court upheld a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, limiting their access to necessary medical support. On the other hand, states like Illinois have been working to strengthen LGBTQ+ protections.
There has been a rise in hostility against the LGBTQ+ population of the US.
Overall, this executive order in Oklahoma has raised concerns about the rights and safety of transgender individuals. It also adds to the ongoing debate about LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.
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