Florida Republican lawmaker proposes law erasing transgender identities

[Devlyn]

Florida Republican lawmaker proposes law erasing transgender identities

https://www.advocate.com/news/florida-transgender-erasure-law

JACOB OGLES      JANUARY 06 2024

A Florida Republican lawmaker wants the state to disavow any recognition of transgender identity.

In one of the most sweeping anti-trans bills filed in the country, Florida state Rep. Dean Black's "What Is A Woman?" Act would eliminate the term gender from government documents, including driver's licenses, and require instead for the sex assigned at birth to be listed under sex.

"It will come as a surprise to absolutely no one that the State of Florida believes in truth and science," Black told the conservative Florida's Voice. "Since time immemorial, and for all time yet to come, there are two sexes: male and female. These are immutable, unchanging characteristics in the eyes of the law."

Black, who also serves as chair of the Duval County Republican Party in Jacksonville, filed H.B. 1233 on Thursday. As originally drafted, the bill takes some specific aim at political parties that allow transgender people to serve as committeemen or committeewomen based on their gender identity. But the provision of the bill likely to affect most trans people would forbid anyone from seeking an update to their driver's license or government ID that changes the gender originally listed and would require individuals to sign a legal affidavit that the gender on their original birth certificate.