President Biden Signs Executive Order Redefining “Sex” in Federal Law

On Wednesday night President Joe Biden signed an executive order instructing all federal agencies to interpret the word federal “sex” in anti-discrimination laws to include sexual-orientation and gender-identity.

This tracks with promises President Biden made during the presidential campaign to reinstate many of the pro-LGBT rules and guidelines that the Obama Administration rolled out prior to 2017.

The new executive order instructs all state agencies to evaluate and amend or rescind any rules or regulations that conflict with the Biden Administration’s redefinition of “sex.”

If left unchecked by congress and the states, this could result in federal agencies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, OSHA, and the Department of Justice rolling out new policies that affect businesses and force pro-LGBT policies on ordinary Americans.

Joe Biden Promises to Reinstate President Obama’s Guidance Letting Boys Use Girls’ Locker Rooms, Restrooms at School

Joe Biden plans to reinstate the Obama Administration’s 2016 guidance directing public schools to let boys who claim to be girls use girls’ shower facilities, locker rooms, and restrooms at school, according to the Associated Press.

In May of 2016 the Obama Administration’s federal Department of Education and federal Department of Justice jointly issued a set of guidelines reinterpreting federal law for schools that receive public funds — like K-12 public schools and many colleges and universities.

The guidelines indicated that to continue receiving funds these schools must let biological males who claim to be female use the girls’ restrooms, locker rooms, showers, and similar facilities at school, and vice versa.

The guidelines also addressed male and female student housing at schools.

Needless to say all of this created a lot of controversy at the time.

Arkansas’ governor and attorney general issued statements telling public schools to disregard President Obama’s guidelines, and Arkansas, along with nine other states, sued the federal government over the issue.

President Trump rescinded the Obama Administration’s 2016 guidelines after he took office the following year.

In 2017 the late Sen. Linda Collins (R — Pocahontas) filed S.B. 774, the Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act, to help protect the physical privacy of people in showers, restrooms, and locker rooms on government property — such as public school campuses. Family Council supported S.B. 774, but it ultimately did not pass.

Obviously, it is very troubling to hear Joe Biden promise to reinstate President Obama’s radical pro-LGBT policies. This is an issue Family Council plans to monitor closely and continue to address in the future.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton Supports Legislation to Protect Girls’ Sports

In late September U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R — Arkansas) joined other U.S. Senators in co-sponsoring the federal Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.

The proposal is intended to protect female athletic programs in America.

In recent years LGBT activists have pushed to let men who claim to be women compete in women’s sports.

In 2014 Fallon Fox — a biological male who identifies as a female — severely injured Tamikka Brents in a Mixed Martial Arts fight.

In public schools around the country, boys have dominated track and field events against girls.

And last year a biological male who claims to be female won the female Cycling World Championship.

Letting boys compete against girls threatens to undermine women’s sports in many schools and communities. In some athletic events it can put female athletes at increased risk of injury.

The federal Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would help protect female athletes and athletic programs.

In a written statement, Sen. Cotton said,

“At their best, sports teach our kids fundamental lessons about fairness and integrity in a safe environment — but there’s nothing fair, honest or safe about allowing men to compete in sports leagues designed solely for women. This bill will preserve the sports leagues and teams that allow women and girls to excel as athletes. And it will defend the commonsense principle that women’s sports are for women. It’s tragic but unsurprising that such a defense is necessary.”

Ten years ago very few people could have imagined that legislation like this ever would be necessary. Unfortunately, unless a measure like the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act passes, women’s athletics may become a thing of the past in many communities.

Click here to read the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.

You can thank Sen. Cotton for co-sponsoring this legislation here.