By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s Democrat governor delivered a fatal blow to a bill that would have increased protections for the state’s women and girls.
On Tuesday, Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed SB 1628, the Arizona Women’s Bill of Rights. The legislation would have “require[d] any policy program, rule or law that prohibits sex discrimination to prohibit the unfair treatment of a female or male in relation to a similarly situated member of the opposite sex, require[d] the state to replace the stand-alone term gender with sex in all laws, rules, publications, orders, actions, policies and signage when updates are necessary, and provided[d] statutory definitions for boy, father, female, girl, male, man, mother and sex” – according to the purpose provided by the State Senate.
Hobbs was brief in her veto letter to Senate President Warren Petersen, saying only that she “will not sign legislation that attacks Arizonans.”
Arizona Republicans were furious with the action out of the Governor’s Office. Petersen released a statement, writing, “Instead of helping these confused boys and men, Democrats are only fueling the disfunction by pretending biological sex doesn’t matter. Our daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and neighbors are growing up in a dangerous time where they are living with an increased risk of being victimized in public bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms because Democrats are now welcoming biological males into what used to be traditionally safe, single-sex spaces.”
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Sine Kerr, added, “This commonsense bill would have also stopped the injustices of allowing bigger and stronger biological males to compete on female-only sports teams, preserving fairness and safety on the playing field, as well as the athletic accolades and scholarships these women and girls work tirelessly to achieve. We’ve seen far too many examples of girls and women physically injured, relegated to the bench, and bumped off the winner’s podium by males competing as females. The madness needs to stop. Democrats have launched an attack against biological females. While a Democrat is currently in control of our Executive Branch, real women must continue to push back, stand for truth, and make their voices heard to advocate for the protection of their rights.”
Riley Gaines, a star collegiate athlete and a champion of women’s rights, weighed in on Hobbs’ action on her “X” account. Gaines said, “Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs just vetoed SB 1628, a bill that would codify & define the word ‘woman’ in state law. Who woulda guessed? Women, yet again, proving to be our own worst enemy.”
Christy Narsi, the national chapter director for Independent Women’s Network, echoed Gaines’ sentiments, stating, “Ironically, despite being a woman, Gov. Hobbs refuses to acknowledge that women are adult, human, females – as commonly understood for millenia – and has no interest in advancing privacy, safety, and equal opportunity for the 3.6 million Arizonan women.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
