Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has signed a “Women’s Bill of Rights” aimed at combating gender ideology. The executive order directs public schools and state facilities to provide separate facilities for boys and girls, defining “female” as someone with a biological reproductive system designed to produce eggs and “male” as someone with a biological reproductive system designed to fertilize eggs. The order aims to bring clarity and uniformity to administrative rules and settle the confusion surrounding the definition of a woman. Governor Stitt explained that he signed the order to protect women and his own daughters, emphasizing their right to privacy and safety in locker rooms. He stated that anyone who violates the order in a state agency will be immediately removed from his administration.
Former college swimmer Riley Gaines, who shared a locker room with a trans-identifying male athlete, joined Governor Stitt as he signed the order and called it “huge.” Gaines highlighted the emotional blackmail faced by women who spoke out against the enforcement of gender ideology in various sectors, including academia and corporate America. She praised Governor Stitt for taking decisive action to safeguard women’s privacy, safety, and equal opportunities.
The “Women’s Bill of Rights” was inspired by model legislation developed by the conservative women’s group Independent Women’s Voice. Kansas and Tennessee have adopted similar legislation based on this model. Concerns over the use of bathrooms and locker rooms by students of the opposite biological sex have led parents to demand separate facilities based on biological sex, citing reports of sexual assaults in shared spaces.