By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports
The Idaho House of Representatives voted 54-14 on Wednesday to pass a bill that declares there are only two sexes and genders.
The only Republicans to side with Democrats in “no” votes were Reps. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, Dan Garner, R-Clifton, and Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome. Both Garner and Sauter cited concerns about ongoing litigation regarding prior bills the legislature has passed about transgender rights.
Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot, sponsored House Bill 421, saying the state needs to be able to have conversations about these issues. The bill defines the words male, female, mother, father, boy and girl, and it deems the word “gender” to be synonymous with “sex.”
The bill does not include definitions for people who are intersex or identify as non-binary. An intersex person is a person born with characteristics of more than one sex. A non-binary person is a person who does not exclusively identify as one gender.
“We need to be able to have an intelligent conversation based on language everyone understands,” Young said.
Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, opposed the bill. She questioned if transgender people would be able to change their driver’s license markers to the gender that matches their identity under the bill.
“This doesn’t do anything to make anybody’s life better,” Rubel said. “It only harms. Really the only thing this bill accomplishes is making an already vulnerable minority feel further persecuted and feel that the government wants to legislate them out of existent.”
“Really, it’s simply not true that there are only two genders,” she added.
The bill now heads to the Senate.
Ruth Brown | Producer
Ruth Brown grew up in South Dakota and her first job out of college was covering the South Dakota Legislature. She’s since moved on to Idaho lawmakers. Brown spent 10 years working in print journalism, including newspapers such as the Idaho Statesman and Idaho Press, where she’s covered everything from the correctional system to health care issues. She joined Idaho Reports in 2021 and looks forward to telling stories about how state policy can impact the lives of regular Idahoans.