Attempting to Set the Record Straight
Governor Stitt’s introductory text recalls [Minor edited excerpt]
One hundred and three years ago the Nineteenth Amendment (Amendment XIX) to the Constitution of the United States granted women across the United States of America the right to vote.Fifty years later, in the midst of nationwide “Women’s Strike for Equality” demonstrations in the early 1970s the 93rd United States Congress, on August 16, 1973, passed H.J. Res. 52, designating August 26 “Women’s Equality Day,” in commemoration of the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment (Amendment XIX) to the United States Constitution, “which prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex.”
Archival records accessed in 2021 showed that every President of the United States to that date—and beginning with the thirty-seventh U.S. President—had issued a proclamation designating August 26 Women’s Equality Day. [The Equal Rights Amendment first introduced in Congress in 1923 has not been successful in passing the required procedures.]
“Each of these events,” the Oklahoma Governor’s Executive Order recalls …, made great strides for the dignity and equality of women in America.”
HOWEVER, he continues, “radical gender ideologues” today are threatening “the hard-fought progress won by women and girls…; and the Federal Government is surrendering to (extremists’) demands.”
The Oklahoma Governor’s Executive Order (2023-20), according to its introductory text is intended
- “to settle the unfounded confusion surrounding such basic questions as ‘What is a woman?’;” and
- “to provide clarity certainty, and uniformity to administrative actions and rules.”
The Order sets out these Clarifications:
FEMALE: “when used in reference to a natural person shall be defined as such a person whose biological reproductive system is designed to produce ova.”
MALE: “when used in reference to a natural person shall be defined as such a person whose biological reproductive system is designed to fertilize the ova of a female.”
WOMAN, GIRL: “shall refer to natural persons who are female.”
MAN, BOY: “shall refer to natural persons who are male.”
MOTHER: “shall be defined as a female parent of a child or children as defined in 25 O.S.-7” *
FATHER: “shall be defined as a male parent of a child or children as defined in 25 O.S. – 7” *
SEX: “when used in reference to a natural person shall be defined as that natural person’s biological sex, either male or female at birth.”
NATURAL PERSON: “shall be defined as only those ‘persons’ defined in 25 O.S. Section 16* who are human beings, to the exclusion of bodies politic or corporate.”
J. Kevin Stitt Office of the Governor State of Oklahoma Executive Department Executive Order 2023-20 Filed August 1, 2023, Oklahoma Secretary of State
*[Oklahoma Statutes Title 25 Definitions and General Provisions
“§25-7 Children”: “The term children includes children by birth and by adoption” R.L.1910, § 2920
“§25-16” “Person includes corporation”: “The word ‘person,’ except when used by way of contrast, includes not only human beings, but bodies politic or corporate”
R.L.1910, § 2929
https://accessible.oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/2019-12/os25.pdf
https://accessible.oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/2019-12/os25.pdf
Bio Brief
Oklahoma’s 28th Governor (2019 -) is Florida-born of “a Cherokee family.” At age five, he moved with his family to Skiatook (vicinity of Native American Osage Nation), Oklahoma.Words attributed to the governor on August 1, 2023:
“As long as I’m governor, we will continue to protect women and ensure women-only spaces are reserved solely for biological women.”
Women’s Bill of Rights Resolutions 118th United States Congress (House and Senate)
United States House of Representatives:
H.Res.115: “Establishing a Women’s Bill of Rights to reaffirm legal protections afforded to women under Federal law” 118th Congress (2023-2024)Official Title as Introduced: “Establishing a Women’s Bill of Rights to reaffirm legal protections afforded to women under Federal law”
Introducing Sponsor: Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (Date of Introduction February 9, 2023)
Same Date Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
26 Cosponsors (recorded between February and May 2023)
Rep. Harshbarger, Diana Rep. Miller, Mary E. Rep. Hern, Kevin Rep. Tenney, Claudia Rep. Biggs, Andy |
Rep. Clyde, Andrew S. Rep. Weber, Randy K., Sr. Rep. Guest, Michael Rep. Santos, George Rep. Ogles, Andrew |
Rep. Foxx, Virginia Rep. Norman, Ralph Rep. Owens, Rep. Jackson, Ronny Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. |
Rep. Duncan, Jeff Rep. Ellzey, Jake Rep. Banks, Jim Rep. Carter, Earl L. Rep. Steube, W. Gregory |
Rep. Cline, Ben Rep. LaMalfa, Doug Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina Rep. Burgess, Michael C. Rep. Babin, Brian |
https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hres115/BILLS-118hres115ih.pdf
United States Senate:
S.Res.53: “A resolution establishing a Women’s Bill of Rights to reaffirm legal protections afforded to women under Federal law” 118th Congress (2023-2024)Official Title as Introduced: “A resolution establishing a Women's Bill of Rights to reaffirm legal protections afforded to women under Federal law”
Introducing Sponsor: Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (Date of Introduction February 9, 2023)
Same Date Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary (text: CR S331)
6 Cosponsors (recorded between February and May 2023)
Sen. Rubio,
Marco Sen. Cruz,
Ted |
Sen. Lummis,
Cynthia M. Sen. Lee,
Mike |
Sen. Britt,
Katie Boyd Sen.
Marshall, Roger |
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-resolution/53/text
Sources
Press Release, News reporting, (Oklahoma)
Official Website of Oklahoma Governor J Kevin Stitt
https://www.oklahoma.gov/governor/newsroom/newsroom.html
Official Website Newsroom Oklahoma.gov, August 1, 2023, “Governor Stitt Leads the Nation as First Governor to Issue Women’s Bill of Rights by Executive Order”
https://www.oklahoma.gov/governor/newsroom/newsroom/2023/august2023/governor-stitt-leads-the-nation-as-first-governor-to-issue-women.html
KFOR August 1, 2023, LOCAL “Oklahoma Governor signs ‘Women’s Bill of Rights’ by executive order,” Natalie Clydesdale/KFOR, https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma-governor-signs-executive-order-to-define-sex-gender/
KGOU August 2, 2023, “Oklahoma Executive Order enacts ‘Women’s Bill of Rights’ critics call it ‘transmisogyny’” by Hannah France, Robby Korth, OPMX
https://www.kgou.org/politics-and-government/2023-08-02/oklahoma-executive-order-enacts-womens-bill-of-rights-critics-call-it-transmisogyny