The Texas House today passed House Bill 229, legislation that defines “sex” in state law as either male or female, based solely on biological reproductive systems.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2025
CONTACT: Emily Witt (she/hers), [email protected]
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas House today passed House Bill 229, legislation that defines “sex” in state law as either male or female, based solely on biological reproductive systems. The bill also stipulates that the terms “man” and “woman” be interpreted according to this binary definition across Texas law.
Texas Freedom Network Political Director Rocío Fierro-Pérez (she/her) issued the following statement:
“HB 229 carries an agenda of exclusion and control. This bill puts the government in charge of who gets to belong and who gets to exist in the eyes of the law. By reducing womanhood to a checklist of body parts, lawmakers are not just targeting transgender and intersex Texans, they’re setting the stage for discrimination against anyone who doesn’t fit their narrow vision of gender. That includes post-menopausal women, women who’ve had hysterectomies, women struggling with fertility, or women who simply don’t fit into a regressive interpretation of femininity.
“HB 229 is part of a broader crusade to replace freedom with fear. It invites surveillance of our bodies, our identities, and our most private medical decisions. That should scare everyone, not just the communities being directly targeted. Texans believe in dignity. In respect. In the freedom to live fully and truthfully. This bill is a cruel distraction from the real work our state needs. In Texas, we fight for each other. And there’s room for all of us.”
