‘What is a Woman Act:’ Florida state Rep. files bill requiring ‘biological sex at birth’ on ID cards

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Northeast Florida state representative is looking to legally define the terms “man” and “woman” by using a person’s “biological sex at birth.”

Rep. Dean Black, a Republican whose district covers all of Nassau County and part of Duval County, on Thursday filed House Bill 1233, called the “What is a Woman Act” in a news release from his office.

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The bill would legally define:

• “‘Female’ means a person belonging, at birth, to the biological sex that has the specific reproductive role of producing ova.”
• “‘Male’ means a person belonging, at birth, to the biological sex that has the specific reproductive role of producing sperm.”
• “‘Mother’ means a female parent, and the term ‘father’ means a male parent.”
• “‘Sex’ means the classification of a human person as either male or female based on the organization of the body of such person for a specific reproductive role, as indicated by the person’s sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, and internal and external genitalia present at birth.”

“It will come as a surprise to absolutely no one that the State of Florida believes in truth and science,” Black said in the news release. “Since time immemorial, and for all time yet to come, there are two sexes: male and female. These are immutable, unchanging characteristics in the eyes of the law. Indeed, this bill only serves to codify that which is already indisputable but has sadly been weaponized by a radical political movement intent on rewriting the laws of nature to fit their own twisted agenda. And so now, with the filing of this bill we have answered the defining question of this decade, ‘What is a woman?’”

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The bill also addresses driver’s licenses and identification cards, stating that these, “must reflect the same sex as the person’s sex at birth and anyone falsifying an application will automatically have their driver’s license or identification card revoked,” the release said.

The “What is a Woman Act” would also require that insurance companies cover de-transition surgeries “if sexual reassignment surgery is also covered,” the release said.

Also, the news release said, “Insurance companies can also not prohibit the coverage of mental health or therapeutic services to treat a person’s perception that their sex is inconsistent with their sex at birth.”

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During the 2023 legislative session, Alabama state Rep. Susan DuBose introduced House Bill 405, which was also called the “What is a Woman Act.” It also sought to “codify” the terms “man” and “woman” as well as “boy” and “girl,” among others.

According to Legiscan, that bill was indefinitely postponed.

When it was under consideration, the ACLU of Alabama opposed the bill, saying that it “completely cuts transgender people out of the picture.”

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Equality Florida on Friday posted a thread on X, saying in part that HB 1233 is “a sweeping new assault on the rights and dignity of transgender Floridians that seeks to deny their legal existence, create new barriers to medically necessary care, put anti-LGBTQ mandates on private insurance companies.”

Jon Harris Maurer, Public Policy Director for Equality Florida, issued the following statement:

“This bill is rooted in a dangerous ideology that denies transgender people do or should exist. It is part of a blatant attempt to oust transgender Floridians + their families from the state, making them political refugees. We’re ready to fight.”

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