By Daniel Stefanski |

An Arizona lawmaker is taking action to protect women across the state.

This week, Senator Sine Kerr introduced SB 1628, the Arizona Women’s Bill of Rights, which would “bring clarity and uniformity to state laws governing sex discrimination and equality of the sexes.”

The bill would define “sex” as a “person’s biological sex, either male or female, for all purposes of state law.” The proposal would also “preserve single-sex spaces to ensure girls’ and women’s safety and privacy in those spaces, while not changing current law or creating new restrictions on anyone’s legal rights.”

In a statement that accompanied the announcement, Senator Kerr said, “Laws should be based in objective reality and uniform for all Arizonans. Men and boys have been encroaching on girls’ and women’s private spaces, like locker rooms and showers, as well as sports teams, robbing women from athletic opportunities and putting them in danger as they face physically stronger males in competition. SB 1628 supports women and girls in their rights to privacy, fairness, and safety on the playing field.”

Kerr hosted a press conference at the Arizona Capitol to highlight her efforts. Paula Scanlan, a former University of Pennsylvania swimmer and current Independent Women’s Voice Ambassador, was at the event to support Kerr’s legislation. During her time in collegiate athletics, Scanlan “was forced to share a locker room and compete with a trans-identifying male swimmer.”

Scanlan also released a statement to endorse the Arizona Women’s Bill of Rights, writing, “I am happy to support the introduction of the Women’s Bill of Rights in Arizona. With more than 3.5 million women living in the state, this bill would have an incredible impact in providing scientifically-sound protections for women and their personal spaces. Having experienced firsthand the injustices of inviting males into women’s private areas and allowing them to steal athletic accolades from young ladies dedicating their lives to their chosen sports, I know the incredible importance of having legislation that stops these reckless new norms.”

Joining Kerr as co-sponsors of the bill were Senators Bennett, Bolick, Borrelli, Carroll, Gowan, Kavanagh, Mesnard, Petersen, Shamp, and Shope.

On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement, NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Council of Jewish Women for Arizona, Stonewall Democrats of Arizona, and the Human Rights Campaign registered their opposition to the legislation.

SB 1628 has been assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and is expected to be heard next week.

“Girls and women deserve to be safe in the places where they are most vulnerable, and we have 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,” added Senator Kerr.

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.