Oklahoma Becomes Second State to Implement WoLF’s “Women’s Bill of Rights”

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – August 2, 2023 – Yesterday, Oklahoma became the second state in the nation to enshrine the full “Women’s Bill of Rights” into state law. In a decisive move, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stiff signed the bill by Executive Order, making him the first governor to use his executive power to do so. The “Women’s Bill of Rights” was co-authored by WoLF along with partnering Independent Women’s Voice, both national women’s advocacy groups, to ensure women and girls are not erased from state law in matters of discrimination based on sex. 

Earlier this year, the “Women’s Bill of Rights” was overwhelmingly passed by Oklahoma’s House and was likewise expected to pass the state Senate. However, due to bureaucratic delays, the bill did not make it to the floor for a final vote before the legislative session ended. It is expected that the bill will be formally passed by the Oklahoma legislature in 2024. In the meantime, Governor Stitt’s executive order ensures that Oklahoma women and girls are not subject to state erasure of their sex and protected rights.  

Developed in 2022, the Women’s Bill of Rights defines sex in state laws based on biology, codifies “intermediate scrutiny” to ensure that women and girls are treated fairly by courts interpreting sex discrimination laws, and protects the ability to collect data on sex. The bill was passed in Kansas with bipartisan support earlier this year.

WoLF’s newly appointed Executive Director, Sharon Byrne, celebrated the momentous event in Oklahoma City today, speaking at the press conference along with athlete and advocate Riley Gaines, Psychiatrist Dr. Lauren Schwartz, and Somerlyn Cothran, spokesperson for Independent Women’s Forum. “Today, the state of Oklahoma is taking a historic step to protect women and girls,” Byrne proclaimed, “but we must remember this is a women’s human rights issue all over the country!” WoLF remains committed to safeguarding women’s and girls’ rights to fairness under the law based on their sex, female.

WoLF’s full coverage: https://womensliberationfront.org/news/ok-wbor-eo-sharon-byrne

For legal inquiries, contact legal@womensliberationfront.org 

For press inquiries and interviews, contact media@womensliberationfront.org

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Women’s Liberation Front is a national radical feminist 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity dedicated to restoring, protecting, and advancing the rights of women and girls using legal argument, policy advocacy, and public education.

WoLF Submits Amicus Brief Against Biden’S ED Dept Title IX Rules

The case of Tennessee v. US Dept. of Education will re-examine sex discrimination and gender identity in school sports

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 1, 2023 — Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) filed an amicus brief on Tuesday in the case of The State of Tennessee v. United States Department of Education.

The brief argues that forcing female student-athletes to compete against males and share locker sex-specific accommodations such as showers and locker rooms violates Title IX, which prevents discrimination in education on the basis of sex.

Twenty state attorneys general, spearheaded by Tennessee, are suing the US Dept. of Education over guidance that requires schools to allow males who identify as female to participate in sports and other sex-specific activities based on their “gender identity.” Multiple female athletes have also joined the case to protect women’s sports.

The Ed Dept. guidance was issued in response to President Biden’s 2021 executive order to interpret “sex” in civil rights law as including “gender identity.” WoLF has previously submitted multiple petitions and public comments to the Ed Dept. outlining the ways in which this guidance is directly harmful to women and girls and urging the Department to protect female athletes.

WoLF’s amicus brief supports the states’ argument that the Ed Dept. violated procedural rules in issuing their guidance and that the Department’s interpretation of “sex” in Title IX blatantly disregards the text of the law. WoLF also specifically points out that the Department continues to fail to provide a clear or coherent definition of the term “gender identity,” which essentially confers special privileges to a subset of people based on their own beliefs (or claim of such).

WoLF’s brief states:

“Women’s hard-earned rights are threatened by the agency policies currently being enjoined; policies that embrace the vague concept of “gender identity” in a manner that overrides statutory and Constitutional protections that are based explicitly on “sex.” In doing so, each Defendant not only ignores its obligation but also cedes its own ability to protect women and girls from sex-based discrimination, threatening their physical safety by proclaiming that women are not permitted to exclude males from any space or activity, thus undercutting their access to public life.”

Unlike the inclusion of “sexual orientation” in civil anti-discrimination guidance, gender identity is not based on any material or biological difference in sex. Rather, as Jennifer Chavez stated in WoLF’s public comments, “the concept of gender identity purports to supersede and obfuscate the ordinary public meaning of ‘sex.’”

For legal inquiries, contact: legal@womensliberationfront.org

For media inquiries, contact: media@womensliberationfront.org

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Women’s Liberation Front is a national radical feminist 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to restoring, protecting, and advancing the rights of women and girls using legal argument, policy advocacy, and public education.

WoLF and FPA Oppose Biden's "LGBTQI+"Executive Order

Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) and Family Policy Alliance (FPA) issue joint public statement regarding Executive Order “Advancing Equality for LGBTQI+ Individuals”

WASHINGTON, Jun. 15, 2022 — Feminist organization, Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), joins Family Policy Alliance to denounce President Biden’s executive order.

“In one fell swoop, the man who holds the highest office in our nation labeled over half the country—including Democrat primary voters, Christian ministries, and radical feminists—as ‘bullies.’  We’re ‘bullies’ simply because we believe Americans should have access to ethical mental healthcare, that girls’ sports should be reserved for girls, and that children should not be the guinea pigs in the political agenda behind gender theory.

“President Biden and his Administration won’t even define the word ‘woman,’ yet today they have no problem asserting a clinical treatment plan for Americans’ mental health challenges and using the weight of the presidency to sexualize children.

“The President’s plan for a young girl facing gender dysphoria is a one-way street—she should undergo unnecessary, life-altering, and permanent medical procedures designed to make her more ‘masculine’ and leave her sterile before she even thinks about whether she might start a family. This is not health care.

“The President also uses his full authority to label young children—who do not think about sexual behavior or orientation—as ‘LGBTQI.’ This directly contributes to the sexualization of children. It is gravely concerning to Americans of all political persuasions that a sitting U.S. President would use the power of his office to sexualize children in this way.

“Though we may not agree on every issue, rest assured that our organizations will use the full weight of our resources to oppose this dangerous and out-of-touch executive order.”

• Dr. Mahri Irvine, Executive Director for Women’s Liberation Front, and Craig DeRoche, President & CEO for Family Policy Alliance

Media inquiries: media@womensliberationfront.org

Philosophy Lecturer Disinvited From Harvard for Feminist Views on Gender Identity

Harvard canceled Dr. Devin Buckley’s talk after discovering her involvement with a radical feminist organization

CAMBRIDGE, MA., April 21st, 2022 — Dr. Devin Buckley was scheduled to speak at Harvard University about her cutting-edge work on British Romanticism and philosophy. On April 18th, Dr. Buckley was told she could not speak at the event because of her board membership with "an organization that takes a public stance regarding trans people as dangerous and deceptive."

WoLF opposes this blatantly false characterization of its work and Harvard's flagrant disregard for free speech. Dr. Buckley's original talk did not have anything to do with her feminist beliefs; she was canceled simply because she holds feminist beliefs with which Harvard disagrees.

Dr. Buckley is a feminist philosopher and board member for Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF). She created the Encyclopedia of Bad Gender Arguments, which provides clear and helpful guidelines for responding to biased, nonsensical arguments about sex stereotypes. 

Dr. Buckley said:

“If it is unacceptable for me to speak at Harvard on British poetry and philosophy because I am a feminist, then I invite Harvard to purge its libraries and museums of all those who hold views unacceptable to Harvard.”

Read Dr. Buckley’s entire response here.

WoLF invites the public to join us in condemning Harvard's misogynistic decision by signing our petition here. 

In defiance of Harvard's censorship, WoLF is also hosting a webinar with Dr. Buckley to discuss her cancelation, free speech for women, and the ideological capture of academia. Details on attending the event can be found here.

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Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting, restoring, and advancing the rights of women and girls.

For media inquiries please contact: media@womensliberationfront.org 

WoLF Testifies Against Maryland Bill Which Puts Men in Women’s Prisons

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2022 — Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), a national feminist organization, testified in opposition to Maryland House Bill 453 (HB453). If enacted, this bill would allow male offenders to request transfer to women’s prisons if they claim to identify as “transgender” or “non-binary.” The bill does not make exceptions for male prisoners who have been convicted of rape or domestic assault. 

WoLF board member, Kacie Mills, said in her testimony:

“I strongly oppose HB453. It claims to be anti-discriminatory, about dignity and respect, but it would put every female inmate at real and immediate risk…Identifying as “non-binary” or “transgender” does not change your biological sex.”

WoLF advisory council member, Jennifer Chavez, offered the following testimony about the bill: 

“This bill recklessly endangers women who are already some of the most vulnerable humans in the nation.”

By request of the committee, WoLF also sent a follow-up email with more information on prison gender identity policies.

California has enacted a very similar bill, and incarcerated women have already faced devastating consequences. WoLF has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit challenging this law on behalf of four incarcerated women and the advocacy organization, Woman II Woman.

WoLF has conducted polling that shows the vast majority of Americans, regardless of political affiliation, do not approve of housing men in women’s prisons, regardless of their claimed “gender identity.” In light of this data and the known risks to women and girls, WoLF urges rejection of HB453. 

For more information about our lawsuit, see here.

For more information about HB453, see our blog post here.

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Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting, advancing, and restoring the rights of women and girls through legal argument, policy advocacy, and public education.

For media inquiries please contact: media@womensliberationfront.org

WoLF Sues California Department of Corrections To Restore Single-Sex Prisons

WoLF is suing on behalf of plaintiffs Janine Chandler, Krystal Gonzales, Tomiekia Johnson, Nadia Romero, and the advocacy group Woman II Woman.

CHOWCHILLA, CA., Nov. 17, 2021 — Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), a national feminist nonprofit organization, has filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) in response to the state’s transfer of male inmates to women’s prisons. 

In January, California’s “Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act” (SB 132) went into effect, allowing men to seek transfer to women’s prison facilities based entirely on their claim that they don’t have an exclusively male “gender identity.” Men are eligible for transfer regardless of whether they have had surgery on their genitals, have taken hormones, or been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Several hundred men have already requested transfer, and dozens of male inmates have already been moved into women’s facilities, including men who have committed heinous violent and sexual crimes against women and children. At this point, no request has been denied.

WoLF alleges that housing incarcerated women with male offenders violates their constitutional rights, including:

1. The First Amendment right to free speech, free exercise of religion, to petition the government, and against the state establishment of a religion;

2. The Eighth Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment; and

3. The Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection under the law. 

Dr. Mahri Irvine, WoLF Executive Director, stated, “Women and girls deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion. CDCR has unequivocally violated the basic human rights of incarcerated women by subjecting them to traumatizing, terrifying conditions. WoLF stands alongside these women. We will continue to fight for them until their safety and dignity are restored.”

Woman II Woman founder, Amie Ichikawa, said, “No matter what the outcome of this case is, we have already won by giving these women, my peers, their voices back and the courage to use them.”

WoLF is asking the court to issue a permanent injunction and declare the law unconstitutional. Read the full complaint here.

For more details on this lawsuit, visit: Chandler vs CDCR

For media inquiries, contact: media@womensliberationfront.org 

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Women’s Liberation Front is a national radical feminist nonprofit organization dedicated to abolishing gender roles and ending the epidemic of male violence against women.

Woman II Woman is a California nonprofit by and for current and formerly incarcerated women.

statements from supporting organizations

Keep Prisons Single Sex

“In the fight against laws and policies which permit the housing of male inmates in women's prisons based on self-professed claims of "gender identity," there is no more significant case in the United States than Chandler v. California Department of Corrections filed on behalf of the brave incarcerated women of California and their representatives Women's Liberation Front and Women II Women. Keep Prisons Single Sex, an international organization dedicated to maintaining single-sex prisons and to sex-based integrity of data related to crime statistics and prison housing, enthusiastically supports their lawsuit challenging California law SB-132 which invites male inmates to claim a "gender identity" of anything other than "male" and then to opt into women's prison. This law, a more extreme and explicit version of what exists in several other U.S. prison systems and a likely precursor to what would occur under the federal so-called Equality Act, has had a devastating impact on the incarcerated women of California. Civil society has an obligation to protect those in its custody from violence and sexual trauma, which is why international norms call for separate housing and sanitary facilities based on sex. This lawsuit is a critical step in ensuring that California, and other jurisdictions, fulfill their responsibilities towards the incarcerated women and girls in their care.” 

- Amanda Stulman, USA Director, Keep Prisons Single Sex

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“Around the country, radical views about gender identity have crept into policy, and these policies are not without serious repercussions. The country has watched with horror what happens when boys are allowed in the girls’ restroom. Now, in California, women in prison – among the most overlooked populations – face the trauma and real threat of men in their facilities. At Family Policy Alliance, we believe the best policy is one that protects the vulnerable, not one that subjects them to further harm. That’s why we stand fully behind our brave friends at Women’s Liberation Front in their fight for justice for these women.” 

– Craig DeRoche, CEO and President, Family Policy Alliance

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“Concerned Women for America, the largest public policy organization for women in the country, fought against California’s S.B. 132 before it was passed, and we are proud to stand with WoLF to fight it today. It is a cruel, anti-woman law that places vulnerable women in danger and blatantly violates our constitutional rights. Our immutable status and inherent dignity as woman must be protected, not compromised.  Every woman, regardless of political affiliation, must stand against it.” 

– Penny Young Nance, CEO and President, Concerned Women for America

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“Article 8 of the Declaration on Women's Sex-Based Rights is clear: Society must eliminate violence against women. This can only be accomplished by providing single-sex services and spaces including prisons. This litigation by WoLF is a vital step toward protecting women's sex-based rights. We are pleased to support it." 

- Kara Dansky, President, U.S. chapter of the Women's Human Rights Campaign (WHRC USA)

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“This lawsuit is a particularly stark reminder that equality for women rests on the law being able to recognize biological sex differences. Placing biological males in the same facilities as incarcerated females puts women in jeopardy in ways that are both obvious and predictable. California’s policy is a step backwards for women’s privacy and safety, and we commend the brave women bringing this lawsuit.”  

- Independent Women’s Law Center

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"Everything we warned legislators about SB 132 is coming true. Women inmates are being assaulted and sexually harassed. Women inmates are being traumatized over violations of their privacy. Fear and tread now occupy the minds of every California female inmate, because our legislators and governor care more about the desires of trans-identified males than they do the safety of vulnerable women. We fully support WOLF’s lawsuit against the state and we hope the court system rectifies this horrific injustice." 

- Greg Burt, California Family Council

[Corrected] WoLF Member Cited for Hate Crime for Feminist Stickers

Take Action! Tell the Dane County DA to not press charges against Thistle Pettersen

MADISON, WI., Sept 24, 2021 — Thistle Pettersen, a Madison-based singer/songwriter and activist, has been cited with "disorderly conduct with a hate crime enhancer" for placing feminist stickers in public places. She has been called to appear at a mandatory court date on September 27th.

Pettersen says that she has been accused* of placing feminist stickers along State Street in a variety of locations that have other stickers and graffiti on them, including telephone poles and a dispenser box for “Our Lives,” an LGBT magazine. Because gender identity is not a protected class in Wisconsin, it is unclear what the basis is for the hate crime enhancement.

The stickers included the slogans: “Woman = Adult Human Female,” “Trans Lie$ Matter” (a reference to Big Pharma support for the gender industry), “Everything is Transphobic,” and “TERF Collective.” 

Pettersen, a WoLF member and founder of Women’s Liberation Radio News, became the subject of a years-long smear and harassment campaign by Madison anti-feminists after she spoke out against gender ideology. This campaign has included threats of violence against her in a local Facebook group. 

“Even if true, stickering feminist slogans in areas already full of stickers and graffiti is neither disorderly nor hateful,” said Lauren Adams, WoLF Legal Director. “The pursuit of these charges is intended to chill the free speech of women’s rights advocates. If the police want to stop hate crimes, they should investigate the threats against Thistle instead of using tax-payer money to facilitate anti-woman bullying by extremist activists.”

WoLF has launched a petition calling on the Dane County DA to drop the citation and not pursue criminal charges against Thistle Pettersen. 

*An earlier version of this press release incorrectly stated that Pettersen said she placed the stickers. In fact, Pettersen only said that she was accused of placing the stickers. Women’s Liberation Front regrets this error. 

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Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting, restoring, and advancing the rights of women and girls.  For media inquiries please contact: media@womensliberationfront.org

Pettersen is represented by Sarah Schmeiser of Stroud, Willink, and Howard, LLC.

Women’s Liberation Front Responds to Scott Wiener

The California State Senator ignored pleas from incarcerated women to stop the transfers of men under SB 132

San Francisco, Ca., Aug. 12, 2021 — During a virtual town hall on Wednesday, California state Senator Scott Wiener responded to concerns from constituents about SB 132, a bill he authored that allows violent male felons to be housed in women’s prisons based solely on their self-proclaimed gender identity. The backlash to the bill, which recently began implementation, comes following a campaign by Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) and Woman II Woman to raise awareness about the devastating impact the bill has had on incarcerated women. 

After the passage of SB 132, nearly 300 inmates have requested transfer from men’s to women’s prisons. With only a fraction of those requests fulfilled, women in Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), the world’s largest women’s prison, have reported cruel conditions and state-sanctioned abuse since the men started arriving at the facilities. WoLF is working with women incarcerated in this facility, one of whom was physically assaulted by a new male transfer. Now, sources inside the prison tell WoLF that at least one woman may be pregnant after being housed with a male inmate. 

In his four-and-half minute response on SB 132, Wiener did not once address the concerns of these women. Instead, the state senator resorted to smearing the women bravely speaking up on this issue (despite great personal risk and consequence) as “right-wing,” “TERFs,” and “fake news.”

Lauren Adams, WoLF Legal Director, said, “This complete disregard for the most vulnerable women in society, whose care is entrusted to the state, is appalling from a so-called ‘progressive’ politician. There is a scared pregnant woman locked in a cage right now because Scott Wiener championed a men’s rights bill that allows rapists to self-identify into women’s prisons. Where is the concern for her rights or safety?”

WoLF and Woman II Woman have spoken to over 100 women currently in CCWF and the California Institution for Women, the state’s second-largest women’s prison. In heartbreaking letters and phone calls, these women have recounted their fears of being housed with men. 

Amie Ichikawa, founder of Woman II Woman and formerly incarcerated in CCWF, said, “The terror, abuse, and cruelty incarcerated women are experiencing because of Scott Wiener’s bill is not ‘fake news.’ I speak to these women every single day. They are devastated. They don’t understand how their elected officials, especially those who claim to care about justice reform and protecting women of color, could turn a blind eye to what is happening here.”

WoLF warned lawmakers in 2019, before SB 132 passed, that this bill would result in harm to incarcerated women. Wiener, Newsom, and the California legislature have ignored these concerns from the beginning, refusing to listen to the lived-experience of incarcerated women — over eighty percent of whom have been victims of sexual, physical, or domestic abuse.

In June, WoLF issued a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Department of Corrections Secretary Kathleen Allison demanding an immediate halt to the transfers of men into women’s prisons. Over 4,000 people have signed WoLF’s demand letter in support.

Add your name to the demand letter: https://tinyurl.com/sign-stop132 

For more information about this campaign: http://stopSB132.com

Media inquiries please contact: media@womensliberationfront.org 

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Women’s Liberation Front is a national radical feminist non-profit organization dedicated to abolishing gender roles and ending the epidemic of male violence against women.

Woman II Woman is a California non-profit by and for current and formerly incarcerated women.

Over 1,000 Join WoLF Petition in Support of Oregon Educators’ Free Speech

Two Grants Pass educators were placed on administrative leave after speaking out against state and district “gender identity” policies 

GRANTS PASS, OR., July 15, 2021 — Over 1,000 individuals have signed a petition by the Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) expressing their support for two Oregon educators who face a public pre-termination hearing on Thursday amid free speech concerns. 

Rachel Damiano, Assistant Principal at North Middle School, and 7th-grade science teacher Katie Medart were placed on administrative leave by the Grants Pass School District 7 in Oregon this April after they began speaking out on their personal platforms in favor of reasonable and compassionate policy solutions to the conflict of rights caused by “gender identity.” The two educators, who seek to promote “reasonable, loving, and tolerant solutions” through their new “I Resolve” Movement, face a public pre-termination hearing on July 15 where the school board will vote on their termination.

As feminists and progressives, WoLF recognizes that free speech, including the ability to openly debate solutions to problems, is the cornerstone of American democracy. Women are disproportionately silenced or punished for opposing regressive gender ideology, including being fired. When done by the state, this is an unconstitutional attack on freedom of speech and belief.

Mary Kate Fain, WoLF Director of Communications, said:

“As a woman who was fired for speaking out against anti-feminist gender ideology, I feel deeply for Rachel, Katie, and their families in this moment. These two educators, who only want what is best for all of their students, were blatantly thrown under the bus by the men in power in Grants Pass who needed a scapegoat to appease a loud, but influential, minority of extremists. I urge the school board to do the right thing and protect free speech.”

The hearing will take place beginning at 3pm PT at the Grants Pass High School Library and on Zoom. Details on attending the hearing can be found here.

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Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting, restoring, and advancing the rights of women and girls.

For media inquiries please contact: media@womensliberationfront.org 

WoLF Issues Demand Letter to Halt Transfers of Men to Women’s Prisons in California

SACRAMENTO, CA., June 21, 2021 — Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), a national feminist organization, has issued a letter demanding an immediate halt to the transferring of male inmates to women’s prisons due to allegations that such policies place female inmates in danger and violate their civil rights.

The letter, addressed to California’s Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Department of Corrections Secretary Kathleen Allison, outlines multiple statutory and constitutional violations that have resulted from the passage and implementation of SB 132, which allows prisoners to request housing based on their self-proclaimed “gender identity.” 

The demands outlined in the letter include:

(1) Immediately halt transfers of male inmates to women’s facilities, and remove all male inmates who have been transferred thus far;

(2) Halt the processing of applications for transfers pending a safety assessment and proper notice and comment period;

(3) Barring that, segregate male inmates together and allow women to refuse sharing housing with male inmates.

The letter describes multiple harms caused by SB 132, including instances of male sex offenders being housed in the same room as women and at least one physical assault.

WoLF Legal Director Lauren Adams said, “Incarcerated women in California have been stripped of their rights and are being subjected to cruel punishment that has no place in a civilized democracy.  I have spoken to dozens of current and formerly incarcerated women in the state — they are terrified.” 

“I am in fear over this,” said Danielle F., a woman currently incarcerated in a California state prison. “I am a victim of domestic violence and rape. What if one of these sex offenders that have their penises rapes us, then what?”

Hundreds of male prisoners in California have already requested transfers to women’s prisons under SB 132. The letter demands that state leaders “do the right thing” by halting these transfers. “California’s incarcerated women are in real and imminent danger,” it reads, “and irreparable damage is being done to their mental health and physical safety.”

Woman II Woman, a California non-profit that supports women in re-entry, reiterated these concerns in an open letter, also published Monday.

Download PDF of WoLF’s Demand Letter

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“Self-Id” policies like California’s SB 132 have been a disaster for incarcerated women, violating their civil and Constitutional rights.

Learn More About SB 132

Feminists Urge Governor Mills to Veto Maine Prison Self-ID Bill

The bill would house inmates based on their “gender identity,” putting violent men in women’s facilities.

AUGUSTA, ME., June 17, 2021 — Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), a national feminist organization, is calling on Governor Mills of Maine to veto LD 1044, which would place male offenders in women’s prisons based on their self-proclaimed “gender identity.”

While the bill claims to “Protect the Rights of Certain Incarcerated Individuals,” it does this at the cost of the safety, dignity, and civil and human rights of Maine’s incarcerated women. If signed into law, the bill will allow men, regardless of their history of violence against women, to be moved to female correctional facilities.

WoLF Legal Director, Lauren Adams, said:

“There is nothing progressive about violating the most basic of human rights afforded to incarcerated women. Prisons are separated by sex for a reason — to keep women safe from male violence.” 

In states like California and Washington that have enacted bills like LD 1044, incarcerated women have already experienced devastating results. One man, convicted of raping and torturing women, was moved to a California women’s prison where he subsequently raped female inmates. 

“I am in fear over this,” said Danielle F., a woman currently incarcerated in a California state prison:

“I am a victim of domestic violence and rape. What if one of these sex offenders that have their penises rapes us, then what?”

In Washington state, at least one of the men transferred under the state’s “gender identity” policy sexually assaulted a female inmate upon arrival. 

Women’s involvement in the justice system is largely tied to their experiences of male violence. Women are most likely to be convicted of drug or property crimes, and the rates of violent crime committed by women are significantly lower than for men. When women commit violent crimes, it tends to be against an abusive male partner. Forcing women to be housed with violent men, including sex offenders, is cruel and a violation of their human rights.

Amie Ichikawa, founder of Woman II Woman, a nonprofit that represents incarcerated women, said:

“I have received hundreds of messages from incarcerated women in California who are living in a constant state of fear for their safety from the transfers from the men’s facilities. Many of the transfers are the same kind of abusers these women are trying to recover from. There is no respite from the mental anguish this situation is causing. This law was created with no regard to women’s health or safety and we hope other states can learn from this in their attempts to accommodate everyone by not disregarding incarcerated women when making decisions that affect every second of their lives.”

In addition to being cruel, these bills are also wildly unpopular with a bipartisan majority of American voters. According to October 2020 polling, over three-fourths of American voters (77 percent) agree that male sex offenders or domestic abusers should not be housed in women’s prisons, regardless of how they identify.

This bill would also force female officers to conduct intimate searches on male prisoners, and unconstitutionally compel the speech of correctional officers.

. . . 

Women’s Liberation Front is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting, restoring, and advancing the rights of women and girls.

For media inquiries please contact:

M. K. Fain

WoLF Director of Communications

media@womensliberationfront.org

ACLU Sues to Prevent Private Citizen from Receiving Public Records in Washington State

OLYMPIA, Wash., Apr. 14, 2021 — The ACLU has filed a lawsuit to prevent a private citizen from receiving public records from the Washington State Department of Corrections on the number of inmates in state custody who identify as transgender and the number of male inmates who are housed in women’s facilities. 

The citizen, a woman who has asked not to be named for her safety, submitted the public records request on March 18, 2021. She is now being represented by WoLF in responding to the lawsuit.

The Washington Public Records Act guarantees that citizens have the right to access public records, and requires the government to respond to requests within five days. Only personal student or patient information, employee files, and some investigative records are exempt. 

The request asked for documents pertaining to:

1. A complete and accurate count of inmates who identify as transgender (gender identity differs from sex identified at birth) in the custody of the Washington Department of Corrections [please break this information down by location].

2. Number of inmates that have been transferred from a men’s facility to a women’s facility since January 01, 2021.

3. Total number of male persons who identify as female, non-binary, or any other gender identity that are currently housed in a women’s facility.

4. Number of inmates who have transferred from a women’s facility to a men’s facility from January 01, 2021 to March 18, 2021.

5. Number of female persons who identify as male, non-binary or any other gender identity that are currently housed in a men’s facility.

The Washington Department of Corrections did not respond to the public request within the given time period. 

On April 8, the citizen received email notification that the ACLU of Washington Foundation and Disability Rights Washington, along with their clients “who are current and former transgender, non-binary, and intersex inmates and in the custody of Washington Department of Corrections,” are naming her personally as an interested party in a lawsuit to prevent the information from being released. The email stated, “We have filed for an emergency Temporary Restraining Order and a Motion for Preliminary Injunction to prevent the disclosure of documents you have requested from the Department of Corrections.”

The ACLU also named members of the press, including The News Tribune, a Tacoma-based paper, as interested parties in the lawsuit.

The ACLU has regularly used Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and their state equivalents to access information relevant to the public interest. The ACLU of Washington has specifically advocated for the expansion of the Public Records Act in the past, stating, “Transparency is at the heart of democracy and today’s decision affirms the right of the public to know about the work of the legislators that represent them.”

Lauren Adams, WoLF Legal Director said, “It is troubling both that the ACLU is seeking to silence and intimidate an individual who is petitioning their government, as well as attacking the free press.”

In a twist of irony, the citizen tells us she used resources provided on the ACLU’s website to draft the public records request which they are now seeking to squash.

More details on this lawsuit: womensliberationfront.org/aclu-lawsuit-public-records

Media inquiries please contact: media@womensliberationfront.org 

New Poll Reveals New York State Voters Want Senator Schumer to Amend the Equality Act to Protect Single Sex Spaces

WASHINGTON, March. 17, 2021 — A new poll conducted by Spry Strategies on behalf of Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) found that only 28 percent of New York voters support passing the Equality Act without any amendments protecting single-sex spaces and services such as changing rooms, homeless shelters, and women’s sports, even though the overwhelming majority of New York voters support the Equality Act’s anti-discrimination protections in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

“Across all party affiliations, New York voters understand that human beings cannot change sex and that it will harm women and girls to pretend otherwise,” said Natasha Chart, WoLF Executive Director. “Members of Congress must come together and act on this rare topic of bipartisan agreement and amend the Equality Act to protect women’s right to single-sex spaces.”

Summary of Key Results

• 85 percent of NY voters believe that people who are gay or identify as transgender should be protected from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

• Only 20 percent of NY voters approve of male domestic abusers and sex offenders being housed in women’s prisons regardless of their claimed “gender identity.”

• Only 28 percent of New York voters support passing the Equality Act in its current form (and only a third of voters who strongly support the Equality Act think it does not need to be amended)

• 87 percent of NY voters agree that employees should be allowed to express personal and spiritual convictions outside the workplace without getting fired.

While debates in Congress and in the media around gender identity policies are largely framed as highly partisan, the results of this poll reveal more agreement across parties on many issues than may be expected. Specifically, Democrats and Republicans agree on strengthening worker protections, saving women’s sports, and keeping male sex offenders out of women’s prisons.

The results are consistent with national and statewide polling in California, Idaho, South Dakota, and West Virginia which show that while U.S. voters largely support anti-discrimination measures, mainstream voters also disapprove of “gender identity” policies that would impact women’s single-sex facilities and accommodations. While Democrats forge ahead with the Equality Act in the House and Senate, it is clear that they are working against the will of the people. 

Full poll results: 

https://www.womensliberationfront.org/news/new-poll-reveals-new-york-state-voters-want-senator-schumer-to-amend-the-equality-act-to-protect-single-sex-spaces

WoLF Joined by Over 40 Organizations in Calling for UN to Abandon Regressive “Gender Theory” Framework

WASHINGTON, Mar. 14, 2021 — Forty-three organizations and 41 individuals from ten countries have joined the Women's Liberation Front (WoLF) in calling for an end to the international implementation of “gender theory,” specifically in reference to gender identity ideology, in response to a call for input from the United Nations Independent Expert for the Human Rights Council.

The signatories include United Families International, caWsbar (Canada,) Concerned Women for America (US), The Countess Didn’t Fight For This (Ireland), Hands Across the Aisle (US), The Heritage Foundation (US), Independent Women’s Voice (US), LGB Fight Back (U.S.), OBJECT (UK), Standing for Women (UK), Spinifex Press (Australia), Trans Rational Educational Voices (U.S.), and Women’s Human Rights Campaign - Brasil (view the full submission here). 

The call for input requests documentation on how critiques of gender theory, “are being used to fuel violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and their particular impact on sexual and reproductive rights.”

The submission put forward by WoLF documents how gender theory promotes harm to LGB individuals, women and girls, and liberal ideals such as freedom of speech—all in direct opposition to the stated goals and initiatives of the United Nations. 

The response also notes the biased nature of the request for input itself, and calls for “oversight from the Human Rights Council to rein in an Independent Expert who is working contrary to the mission and goals of the United Nations system.

“Both the wide ideological range of organizations and individuals who have joined us in this submission, and what public opinion research has been undertaken,” said Natasha Chart, WoLF Executive Director, “demonstrates the depth of the challenge gender identity theory poses to the fundamental truths and values of society. We hope the UN will listen, and refuse to adopt this secular political faith.”

A statement by the UK-based group, We Are Fair Cop, one of the signatory organizations, stated, “We are deeply concerned that we are seeing the rise of totalitarianism in what were once healthy democracies and we hope that the UN are alive to this danger and will take action to prevent it. Freedom of speech and expression is the bedrock of any functioning society.”

Read the full statements by signatory organizations: 

https://www.womensliberationfront.org/news/wolf-joined-by-over-40-organizations-in-calling-for-un-to-abandon-regressive-gender-theory-framework

For media inquiries, contact: media@womensliberationfront.org

Joint Statement on the Women’s Sports Protection Act

SANTA FE, Feb. 23, 2021 — On February 18, Representatives Zachary Cook, Rod Montoya, and James Townsend introduced the Women’s Sports Protection Act (HB 304) in the New Mexico House to prevent the participation of biological males in student athletic leagues designated for women and girls. The sponsors of the bill are joined in support by multiple feminist organizations, including: Women’s Liberation Front, Save Women’s Sports, Women’s Human Rights Campaign USA, and LGB Alliance USA.

This bill has become a necessary step to protect the social and educational gains for women and girls in New Mexico through sports against the trend of ‘gender identity’ policies, which would eliminate single-sex sports.

Since the passage of Title IX, the ability to participate in competitive athletics has significantly benefited  women and girls in the United States. In addition to the physical health benefits of an active lifestyle, participation in sports among girls has been shown to increase academic success, boost self-esteem and confidence, lead to lower rates of teen pregnancy, and help women achieve long-term in their careers. Allowing male students to compete in female athletics based on “gender identity” claims puts this progress at risk by creating a unisex environment and thereby denying hard-working women and girls the opportunity to compete in fair and safe sporting competitions.

National polling has revealed bi-partisan support for bills such as HB 304 to protect women’s sports, with sixty-seven percent of voters stating that men or boys should not be permitted to participate in female atlantics regardless of their self-declared “gender identity.” 

On behalf of:

Rep. Zachary Cook
Rep. Rob Montoya
Rep. James Townsend 

Women’s Liberation Front
Save Women’s Sports
Women’s Human Rights Campaign USA
LGB Alliance USA

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Statements from Sponsors and Supporting Organizations:

Rep. Zachary Cook

“Every student has the right to fair and safe participation in sports, and single-sex althetic leagues are an important part of that. The Women’s Sports Protection Act reflects the protections voters in New Mexico want to preserve the rights of women and girls, and I’m proud to have the support of many women’s organizations behind this legislation. I hope that Governor Grisham will join us in passing this bill to ensure equal opportunity for all students.” 

Beth Stelzer — Founder, Save Women’s Sports

“We applaud Representative Cook for sponsoring the Women's Sports Protection Act. New Mexico joins half of the nation in introducing bills to preserve female sports this session. Males competing in female sports is a common-sense issue with a simple solution: protect females.”

Natasha Chart — Executive Director, Women’s Liberation Front

“Feminists fought for Title IX and legal protections for women and girls—Now, we are standing up to protect those rights. As a vital piece of legislation, the Women's Sports Protection Act will ensure that the gains of women and girls in New Mexico over the past decade are not lost to the trend of regressive ‘gender identity’ policies.”

Linda Blade — President, Athletics Alberta

“In 1972, Title IX was established to ensure that female persons in the USA could chart their own successful destinies independent of the overwhelming advantages and power enjoyed by male persons. These protections have been vital to women’s athletic achievement. But, today, these very protections are at risk. It is time for our elected officials to stand up and defend this unprecedented threat to our hard-fought rights.”

Kara Dansky — Chair, WHRC Committee on Law and Legislation

“The global Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights re-affirms women and girls’ sex-based rights, and challenges the discrimination we experience from the replacement of the category of sex with that of ‘gender identity.’ Article 7 of the Declaration states: “[t]o ensure fairness and safety for women and girls, the entry of boys and men who claim to have female ‘gender identities’ into teams, competitions, facilities, or changing rooms … set aside for women and girls should be prohibited as a form of sex discrimination.” This bill is in alignment with the Declaration and WHRC USA strongly supports it.”

M. Lynette Hartsell - Spokesperson, LGB Alliance USA

“Sports have been incredibly important for the LGB community. While all of us can enjoy recreational sports or spectating, competition in elite sports serves a crucial role for LGB people, especially among women. Elite sports have been a source of inspiration because of the visibility of role models like Martina Navratilova, and elite sports have been a place where students can first begin building bonds with other young lesbian and bisexual women. The opportunities sports can open up are especially important to lesbians because we know that lesbians are among the most economically disadvantaged people in this country, and sports can be a pathway to economic success, beginning with the opportunities of college. LGB Alliance USA supports HB 304 because it protects this important pathway for women and girls.”

WoLF Submits Petition for Rulemaking to Ed. Dept. on Protecting Title IX Rights of Women and Girls

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2021 — Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) has submitted a Petition for Rulemaking to the U.S. Department of Education to “protect the Title IX rights of women and girls.” The petition was issued in response to President Biden’s executive order on “gender identity” which directs federal agencies to interpret “sex” as also including “sexual orientation and gender identity” and to create new regulations to enact this interpretation.

Title IX is vital, widely-supported civil rights legislation for women and girls which prevents discrimination on the basis of sex in federally-funded educational activities, including student athletics.

In January 2021, the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education affirmed that Title IX regulations allow single-sex spaces and sports. But last week, the incoming Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, stated that he will not enforce Title IX, and will instead allow male athletes, who identify as female, to play in women’s and girls’ sports.

The petition put forth by WoLF asks the Department of Education to affirm that:

1. “Sex” under Title IX refers to biological sex.

2. “Gender identity” is “a person’s belief that they have an internal sense of self-identification as male, female, both, or neither, that is incongruent with one’s sex.”

3. Single-sex spaces and services, including sports, are provided by sex and not on the basis of a person’s belief about their sex.

4. True statements about biological sex, based in material reality, are protected by the first amendment.

“These proposed provisions are a completely appropriate implementation of the executive order,” said Lauren Adams, WoLF Legal Director. “The rules we suggest would protect students who have a ‘gender identity’ from discrimination while also ensuring women and girls continue to have equal access to educational opportunities.”

Natasha Chart, WoLF Executive Director, said, “This petition is an important first step towards holding the Biden administration accountable for how their policies will harm women and girls. Feminists are stepping up to defend the rights that previous generations fought for.”

The agency has 60 days to respond to the petition.

Recent polling found that 67% of voters agree that males who identify as transgender should not be permitted to compete in female athletics.

Petition Details:

Petition For Rulemaking To Protect The Title IX Rights Of Women And Girls
Docket No. ED-2020-OGC-0163
Submitted: 2/8/21

Media inquiries: media@womensliberationfront.org

Biden Executive Order on “Gender Identity” Will Eviscerate Women’s Rights

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2021 — Feminist organization, Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), is denouncing an executive order signed by President Biden on his first day in office which takes steps to end female-only spaces and sports. Biden signed the controversial “Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation” despite the objections from many women’s organizations. 

While WoLF supports protecting LGB Americans from discrimination based on same-sex attraction, this must be done without harming women’s rights. The policy will require federal agencies to interpret every regulation, including both Title VII and Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, that prohibits “sex discrimination” as also prohibiting discrimination on the basis of “gender identity.” According to Lauren Adams, Legal Director for WoLF, this policy will likely prohibit female-only student athletics and sex-segregation in intimate spaces such as domestic violence shelters and prisons.

The hashtag #BidenErasedWomen is now trending on Twitter as feminists, the LGB community, and civil liberties advocates are speaking out against the policy.

Another executive order Biden signed yesterday addressing equity for “underserved communities” also left out sex discrimination, ignoring the history of oppression and inequality faced by women and girls in the United States.  

"Both executive orders send a heartbreaking message to women and girls that their government does not view them as worthy of consideration and is not willing to recognize female people as a discrete class,” said Adams. The orders also seriously weaken the ability of federal agencies to even consider the needs of women and girls.

Natasha Chart, WoLF Executive Director, said, “This executive order is death by a thousand cuts for women’s rights, as well as a threat to civil liberties for all Americans. Our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and conscience must be upheld alongside common-sense protections for vulnerable populations such as women, girls, and LGB Americans.” 

While policies protecting individuals from discrimination based on same-sex attraction are widely supported, “gender identity” policies are unpopular. Polling of American voters in October revealed cross-partisan disapproval of policies that would allow violent male sex offenders to be housed in women’s prisons and emergency shelters, or allow boys to compete in girls’ athletics. These policies are particularly unpopular with marginalized groups, such as black and Hispanic voters, who tend to be disproportionately affected by them.