A California senator has introduced a bill to radically redefine the meaning of the words “male” and “female,” and officially recognize a third gender, “non-binary.” SB 179, authored by Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) will streamline the process for people wanting to change their gender on government documents, such as driver’s licenses and birth certificates. If the bill is approved, the gender listed on these documents will no longer need to reflect biological reality, but will be determined by personal preference and feelings.
At a press conference earlier this year, Atkins described her excitement over this proposed law. “It is moving us forward into a new world,” Aktins declared. “Where acceptance is the very foundation of letting people be who they tell you they are.”
While sympathetic to the difficulties of those experiencing gender dysphoria, California Family Council CEO Jonathan Keller has grave concerns about this bill’s impact.
“We believe government documents need to reflect biological facts for identification and medical purposes,” Keller said. “Secondly, the bill advances a falsehood; that being male or female, or no gender at all is a choice each person must make, not a fact to celebrate and accept. Laws like this will simply erase any meaningful gender definitions, if being male or female is completely divorced from biological facts.”
A simplified process for parents to change the gender of their children, even toddlers, is also a feature of this bill. , Atkins was quoted talking about this provision in the Bay Area Reporter saying, “I have personal friends I know who had to confront and face this issue with their children” who were as young as 3, Atkins said. “I was just blown away.”
The American College of Pediatricians (ACP) has publicly condemned changing the gender of minors calling it “abusive.” The organization explained their position in an article on their website titled, “Gender Ideology Harms Children.” It states, “When an otherwise healthy biological boy believes he is a girl, or an otherwise healthy biological girl believes she is a boy, an objective psychological problem exists that lies in the mind not the body, and it should be treated as such.”
The article goes on explain that many as 98% of gender confused boys and 88% of gender confused girls eventually accept their biological sex after naturally passing through puberty.
“The [APC] maintains it is abusive to promote this ideology, first and foremost for the well-being of the gender dysphoric children themselves, and secondly, for all of their non-gender-discordant peers, many of whom will subsequently question their own gender identity, and face violations of their right to bodily privacy and safety.”
Under current California law, individuals can change their sex on their birth certificate, but they must make the request in person before a judge. Additionally, a doctor has to verify an individual is receiving gender transitioning medical treatment before making the change. SB 179 would remove both of these requirements. Choosing a new sex on a driver’s license will only require a person to check one of three boxes: male, female, or the new third gender option “non-binary” for those who do not want to identify as either sex.
The bill already passed the California Senate and will be heard in the Assembly Judiciary Committee on June 27th. Let the members of this committee hear your thoughts about this troubling bill. If this bill makes it through the Judiciary Committee, it will then be heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee next month.
