“The message of this bill is clear: ‘Don’t mess with Texas women’,” says Texas State Rep. Ellen Troxclair (HD-19).
Troxclair sent out the sentiment in a statement May 12 after the Texas House of Representatives voted 87-56 to pass a bill she authored, HB 229 referred to as the Women’s Bill of Rights.
The bill “defines what a woman is in truthful, biological terms, reinforcing women’s rights to privacy, safety, and fairness,” according to her public release.
“With this bill, women and girls will know that Texas has their back and will not allow hardfought rights to be eroded by activists who seek to erase them,” Troxclair stated. “The biological differences between men and women have been universally understood since the beginning of time, and Texas law will now fully reflect that reality.”
Troxclair, a Republican, represents a district which includes Burnet, Blanco, Gillespie, Kendall and parts of western Travis County.
In January, Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to state agencies declaring that Texas only recognize two sexes, male and female, which aligned with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. Also, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton presented a non-binding legal opinion, directing state agencies not honor court opinions to change someone’s sex on official documents.
Opponents of the bill, including Democrats, say the bill demoralizes, dehumanizes and places in danger those who do not “identify” as their sex “assigned” at birth.
Local Democratic leaders expressed dismay over the passage of the bill.
“I’d recommend that people consider that biological sex is more complex than many realize, and that our laws should reflect that complexity rather than oversimplify it,” said Burnet County Democratic Club spokesperson Jenna Beaty. “We can still protect the rights and dignity of women and also collect necessary biological data without excluding or marginalizing those whose bodies don’t fit neatly into binary categories.
“My hope is that those who support the bill are open to understanding the medical realities and the lived experiences of intersex and transgender people,” Beaty added.
Troxclair offered insight into what she believes are the next steps in the process.
“The Women’s Bill of Rights now advances to the Texas Senate, where it is expected to pass. The bill ensures that the executive orders issued by Governor Abbott and President Trump to protect women’s rights are solidified in Texas statute,” she stated. “The safety of women in shelters matters. Fairness for our girls in sports matters. Dignity of women in private spaces matters.
“This bill reinforces the existing legal foundations that are designed to protect Texans. There are pages and pages of references to ‘man’ and ‘woman’ in Texas code, which now refer to a specific, clear definition.”
