California politicians have proposed another bill that blurs the definition of womanhood. Assembly members Isaac Bryan (D-Culver City) and Mia Bonta (D-Oakland) recently introduced AB 1810, a bill that disregards biological facts by insisting that both men and women inmates need feminine products and birth control. This insistence that biology doesn’t determine sex is becoming a trend in legislation supported by both parties.
Last year, Governor Gavin Newsom signed bipartisan legislation mandating feminine products in 3rd through 5th grade girls’ and boys’ public school bathrooms. Additionally, a bill requiring all state-owned buildings to stock feminine products in men’s and women’s restrooms, SB 59, has already passed the Senate and is waiting for a committee hearing in the Assembly.
AB 1810 seeks to erase what a woman is by requiring menstrual products and birth control in jails and prisons for both males and females. The bill replaces all mentions of females and women in the current statute with the word “person”, ultimately rejecting basic science.
The bill’s first hearing is tomorrow morning, February 27, in the Assembly Public Safety Committee. California Family Council’s Outreach Director Sophia Lorey is planning to testify in opposition and to stand up for the reality of womanhood. “AB 1810 disregards the inherent dignity of women by attempting to obscure obvious biological distinctions between males and females,” Lorey plans to explain. “To vote yes or abstain on this bill further advances the erasure of women and ignores basic biology.”
Currently, the California law gives female inmates access to feminine products and birth control upon request. If this bill passes, inmates will have ready access to these menstrual products without having to request them, but the words “woman” and “female” have been removed from the description of those needing these products.
While the California Family Council has no objection to ensuring better access to menstrual products for incarcerated women, they strongly oppose any bill that seeks to erase women and ignores basic biology. Switching the word “women” to “person” is insulting to women.
The bill authors Bryan and Bonta argue “AB 1810 will bring our state closer to menstrual health equity by requiring that menstrual products are free and readily available for all women who need them while incarcerated.”
Sadly many Republican legislators continue to vote for bills that erase women and give menstrual products to men. For example, Republican Assemblywoman Marie Waldron has joined four other Democrats as co-sponsoring AB 1810, and Assemblywoman Laurie Davies joined 10 Democrats to co-sponsor SB 59, a bill that requires feminine products in state-owned men’s bathrooms.
Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly said that Assemblywoman Laurie Davies co-sponsored AB 1810. She actually co-sponsored SB 59. We apologize for the error.
Take Action:
Please join Sophia Lorey at the Assembly Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, February 27 at 9 a.m. See details here: We must stand up against legislation that ignores the unique struggles of women and denies basic biology.
Call members of the Public Safety Committee and urge them to vote “NO”.
