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Women’s Bill of Rights: US anti-transgender legislation

Groups Reviewed August 29, 2026 4 min read

In 2022, Women’s Liberation Front and Independent Women’s Voice developed the Women’s Bill of Rights as a way to erase transgender people in law and policy. Supporters want to set legal definitions of woman, man, male, female, and sex. They want to use the “gametic definition” of sex, which says that sex is based on the type of gamete (egg or sperm) a person’s body is built to produce.

This model legislation has since been introduced at both state and federal levels, with versions enacted in several US states.

Background

The Women’s Bill of Rights was formally unveiled on March 31, 2022, when President Carrie Lukas of Independent Women’s Forum announced it during a press call. Lukas was joined by a coalition that included:

IWV has since expanded this initiative with additional model legislation:

Aims

The stated goals of the Women’s Bill of Rights:

  • Defines “sex” based on biology (either male or female), seeks to enshrine into law common definitions of “woman,” “girl,” and “mother”
  • Codifies the intermediate scrutiny standard of judicial review to allow the law to recognize sex when it is relevant (ex. shelters, locker rooms, and prisons)
  • Requires vital statistic collection for anti-discrimination, or public health and safety to accurately record and report on biological sex

Federal legislation

In 2022, the Women’s Bill of Rights was introduced in both the US House and Senate.

According to Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s press release on introducing S.Res.644, a longer list of outside groups supported the Women’s Bill of Rights:

House

Senate

  • S.Res.644 (2022)
  • S.Res.53 (118th Congress)
  • Outcome: Introduced only

State legislation

Similar proposed state legislation has been introduced:

Alabama

  • SB 79 (“What is a Woman Act”)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

Arkansas

  • SB 486
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

Georgia

  • HB 1128 (“Georgia Women’s Bill of Rights”)
  • Outcome: Died. Introduced 2023–24 session; last action House Second Readers Feb 7, 2024; never passed
  • HB 267 (“Riley Gaines Act of 2025”)
  • SB 1 (“Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act”)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

Idaho

  • HB 421
  • Outcome: Enacted 2024

Indiana

  • SB 182 (2026 session) (“Gender issues”)
  • Outcome:

Iowa

  • SF 418
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

Kansas

  • SB 180 (2023)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2023 after KS House overrode governor’s veto

Louisiana

  • HB 608 (2024) [Women’s Safety and Protection Act]
  • Outcome: Enacted 2024

Minnesota

  • HF 5128
  • Outcome: Introduced 2024, not enacted

Mississippi

  • HB 1607 (“Mississippi Women’s Bill of Rights”)
  • Outcome: Not enacted during session
  • SB 2753 (“Securing Areas for Females Effectively and Responsibly / SAFER Act”)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2024

Montana

  • HB 121
  • HB 300
  • Draft: Legal Council number HB LC2129 (“An Act to provide privacy in certain restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters”)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

Nebraska

  • LB 89 (“Stand With Women Act”)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

Oklahoma

  • HB 1449
  • SB 408 (2024)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2024. HB 1449 died in 2023 session, revived/passed House and Senate in 2024; signed by Governor Stitt, who also issued an earlier executive order in 2023

South Dakota

  • HB 1259 (“An Act to prohibit unauthorized access to certain multi-occupancy rooms”)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

Tennessee

  • HB 571
  • SB 468 (“Riley Gaines Women’s Safety and Protection Act”)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

Texas

  • HB 229
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

West Virginia

  • HB 5243 (“Women’s Bill of Rights,” 2024)
  • Outcome: Died. Passed House 2024; never taken up in Senate

Wyoming

  • HB 72 (“Protecting Privacy in Public Spaces Act”)
  • Outcome: Enacted 2025

References

Demirhan, Ansev (June 21, 2022). Dark Money Authors of GOP-Led ‘Women’s Bill of Rights’ Have a History of Attacking Title IX and Trans Women. Ms. magazine https://msmagazine.com/2022/06/21/womens-bill-of-rights-independent-womens-forum-trans-nonbinary-rights/

Anti-trans coverage

Hyde-Smith, Cindy (February 9, 2023). Hyde-Smith reintroduces Women’s Bill of Rights. US Senate https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/hyde-smith-reintroduces-womens-bill-rights

Hyde-Smith, Cindy (May 20, 2022). Hyde-Smith reintroduces Women’s Bill of Rights. US Senate https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/hyde-smith-introduces-womens-bill-rights

Resources

Trans Legislation Tracker (translegislation.com)

LegiScan (legiscan.com)

  • Searchable database

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Women’s Liberation Front (womensliberationfront.org)

Independent Women’s Voice (iwvoice.com)

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