Should civil rights laws exclude transgender identity as a protected class unless expressly designated?

Awaiting Vote
Bill Summary

This bill would ensure that constitutional authority related to civil rights remains in the hands of Congress: No federal civil rights law shall be interpreted to treat gender identity or transgender status as a protected class, unless it expressly designates "gender identity" or "transgender status" as a protected class. This bill prohibits the word "sex" or "gender" from being interpreted to mean "gender identity," and requires "man" or "woman" to be interpreted to refer exclusively to a person's genetic sex, for purposes determining the meaning of federal civil rights laws or related federal administrative agency regulations or guidance. Sponsor: Pete Olson [R-TX-22]
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Opponents say

•     According to the American Civil Liberties Union, “[The bill is a] discriminatory effort to strip civil rights protections from trans people.

Proponents say

•    According to Representative Pete Olson, the bill’s sponsor, “The Founding Fathers never intended unelected bureaucrats in federal agencies to make sweeping changes to the definition of gender. While we have a new president in office, we must restore the voice of the people given to them by our Constitution and put an end to this dangerous precedent of removing Congress’ power to make laws.”  
•     Representative Brian Babin, of Texas’s 36th district, argues, “This bill preserves the power of Congress and restores the voice of the people to make sure that ‘gender identity’ is not conflated with biological sex without explicit approval by the people’s representatives in Congress.”