Neither a Man nor a Woman in Texas

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I don’t live in Texas, and I’m certain more than ever that I would never move there. Why? Because Texas House Bill 229 is on Governor Abbott’s desk, sure to be signed into law.

This bill, like US Executive Order 14168, codifies completely unnecessary definitions of male and female, effectively outlawing transgender people and erasing intersex people. What’s more, just like that executive order, it’s based on made-up reasons that politicians are trying to pass off as science.

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But that doesn’t hold water.

For instance, the bill very clearly defines male as such: “"Male" and "man" mean an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female.”

Well, according to this, I won’t be considered a male or man in the state of Texas once this is signed. Because of my dry or retrograde ejaculations, I’ve never been able to fertilize the ova of a female. Even the word “developed” is an issue, because doctors had to intervene just so that I could urinate, let alone ever consider fertilizing anyone.

Okay, so, will the state of Texas consider me to be a woman? Nope. Here’s now they’re defining female: “"Female" and "woman" mean an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova.”

Fine. Understandable that I’m not considered a woman in Texas. I don’t consider myself to be one. But here’s yet another kicker, women with intersex variations like Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) are born with no uterus, no ovaries, and undescended testes. According to this bill, they are also not considered women. Or men.

Don’t take my word for it. Listen to Alicia Roth Weigel, who has CAIS and lives in Texas.

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So, what does Texas House Bill 229 say about intersex people? Ah, they added an amendment for us:

“(11) each individual is one of two sexes, male or female, and individuals diagnosed with a disorder of sex development or as intersex: (A) are not considered to belong to a third sex; and (B) must receive accommodations in accordance with state and federal law”

So, we’re not male or female, but we’re also not a third sex. Also, way to use the outdated and insulting version of DSD, which has been redefined as differences of sexual development. I mean, I don’t like any version of DSD, but at least don’t use the one that says all intersex people are disordered.

Why is this all happening?

In my opinion, the Republican party doesn’t even really care about transgender people. They’re only a tiny fraction of the American public, as are intersex people. They don’t care about us, either.

However, the current president made attacking transgender people into a cornerstone of the party’s current platform. Decades ago, Black Americans were made to be the villains. A decade or two ago, it was gay and lesbian Americans. Now? It’s transgender Americans. Fascism always needs someone to villainize, to attack. So, they’re going after transgender people. Intersex people are just inconvenient, a sliver of the population that disproves all of the “science” they’re making up to support their attacks.

We have to keep fighting back. Vote. Call and write your representatives. Don’t give money to business that support these attacks. Amplify transgender, nonbinary, and intersex voices.

Oh, and happy Pride Month, even if we have to fight to find the happiness.