The Texas House of Representatives has passed controversial legislation that effectively aims to erase the legal recognition of transgender identities in the state.
House Bill 229, which passed in a vote of 86–36, claims that “males and females possess unique immutable biological differences that manifest prior to birth and increase as individuals age and experience puberty.”
The bill defines woman and female as “an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova,” and man and male as “an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilise the ova of a female.”
It further states that males are “bigger, stronger, and faster” than females and alleges that trans inclusion in public life has led to the “endangerment of single-sex spaces and resources.”
The bill, authored by Republican State Representative Ellen Troxclair and dubbed the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” now heads to the GOP-controlled state Senate, where it is widely expected to pass.
Bill Sparks Outrage Among Democrats and LGBTQ+ Advocates
On the House floor, Troxclair claimed the bill is about protecting women’s rights:
“We’re a state that believes in truth, and we’re a state that honours the hard-won achievements of women,” she said.
“But if we can no longer define what a woman is, we cannot defend what women have won. We cannot protect what we cannot define.”
Democrats pushed back, with state Rep. Jessica González calling the bill “harmful,” “dangerous,” and “really freaking insulting.”
State Rep. Jon Rosenthal criticised the bill’s pseudo-scientific framing:
“Any biologist knows there are variations in sex chromosomes, hormone levels and other traits… where an individual’s biological characteristics don’t align with typical male or female categorisation,” he said.
“The real question is, do you believe that all people have the basic rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of their own personal happiness?”
Debate on the bill reportedly lasted over three hours, with Democratic lawmakers strongly opposing its implications for civil liberties and LGBTQ+ rights.
A Broader Pattern of Anti-Trans Policy in Texas
Texas has become a focal point for legislative attacks on transgender rights. Attorney General Ken Paxton has previously argued that medical providers should be allowed to deny care to transgender patients and supported workplace discrimination against trans people.
Paxton also attempted to categorise gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth as a form of child abuse, a move widely condemned by medical professionals and human rights organisations. He has even sought to obtain medical records of transgender people from other states and compile a database of trans Texans.
Governor Greg Abbott, meanwhile, has also endorsed sweeping anti-trans measures. In January, he issued a directive for all state agencies to reject what he called “woke gender ideologies,” declaring, “the State of Texas recognises only two sexes—male and female.”
If H.B. 229 is signed into law, it would override any policies or legal definitions in Texas that recognise gender identity outside the binary model and could limit trans people’s access to services, rights, and legal protections.
