Alabama lawmakers are pushing forward with legislation aimed at clearly defining individuals as either female or male based on their reproductive systems, a move triggering those on the left who claim it would undermine the rights of transgender individuals in the state.
The Senate bill, endorsed by a committee on Tuesday, asserts, “There are only two sexes, and every individual is either male or female.” It outlines sex based on reproductive anatomy and permits schools and local governments to designate single-sex facilities, such as bathrooms, according to these definitions. A similar bill is slated for consideration by a House committee on Wednesday.
These measures align with a broader trend in Republican-led states to regulate restroom use for transgender individuals, determine their eligibility for school sports teams, and prohibit gender-affirming medical treatments, particularly for minors.
Republican Sen. April Weaver, the bill’s sponsor, framed her support as a defense of women’s rights, stating that the definitions will aid courts in interpreting existing laws and “formalizes the long-standing definitions of male, female, woman, man, boy, girl, mother, father, and sex.”
According to the bill, a female is defined as someone with a reproductive system capable of producing ova, while a male is defined as someone with a reproductive system capable of producing sperm. Furthermore, any state-backed entity collecting data related to sex is mandated to classify individuals as male or female at birth.
During a public hearing, opponents criticized the legislation as part of an alleged pattern of “targeting” transgender individuals and impeding their lives.
