Last Thursday, the Texas Legislature made history: The Texas House voted with a bipartisan vote of 86-43 in favor of the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, Senate Bill 8. The Texas Women’s Privacy Act ensures that private spaces like locker rooms, showers, restrooms, domestic violence shelters, and prisons are kept separate based on biological sex.
This is common sense policy that ensures the safety and dignity of women are protected! You have heard the stories of young women reporting that a male claiming to be female walked into their locker room and began to undress next to them without warning. Or you may be a woman who visited the Texas Capitol to testify, and you experienced seeing a male visitor in the women’s restroom.
Let’s not forget 8 years ago, when Dripping Springs ISD concocted a secret policy to allow a male elementary student to use the female restroom at a Dripping Springs school. During the fight for accountability from the school district, Texas Values met Shiloh and Rob Satterfield, a daughter and father duo that has continued to fight for laws on privacy today. Shiloh first testified at the Capitol when she was only 10 years old and she came back to join the fight by testifying again and making this video.
Over the past 8 years, the stories continued to pour into our office of girls experiencing guys entering their locker rooms or bathrooms at school. The issue became universal as national sports leaders like Riley Gaines and Paula Scanlan talked about their own experiences having to undress in front of male swimmer Lia Thomas in the locker room. This issue hit close to home when we learned about Brooke Slusser, a born and raised Texas female athlete, who was forced to share a locker room, hotel room, and living space with a male who lied about being a woman.
But no more! Texas will fight to protect the safety, dignity, and modesty of woman and girls in our state.
Mary Elizabeth Castle, Director of Government Relations for Texas Values said:
“Today Texas made a historic move in making sure that no woman or little girl has to look over her shoulder with fear when she is in the locker room, restroom, or shower because a man has been allowed to wrongfully enter that space. I thank Governor Abbott and other state leaders for being strong in passing the Texas Women’s Privacy Act before the calendar year is over. Our Texas legislature has made the message loud and clear: You don’t mess with Texas women and their dignity”
Last Thursday was not an easy fight. The Texas House gallery had to be cleared because of violent outbursts by LBGT activists. One Texas House member, Rep. John Bucy, even slandered Texas Values by calling our organization “a rag, rogue” group that made up the story about a boy in a girls’ locker room in Round Rock ISD.
Ultimately, the Texas House made the right decision and the Texas Women’s Privacy Act will be headed to the governor’s desk soon.
We could not have done this without your emails, calls, and showing up at the Capitol. Most of all, we could not have done this work for the Texas Women’s Privacy Act without your financial support. However, getting this bill signed by Governor Abbott and implementing the law will require even more support than before. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today!
