Governor Jeff Landry has signed House Bill 608, a controversial piece of legislation that updates the state’s definitions of male and female and restricts transgender individuals from using restrooms that align with their gender identities in schools, jails, domestic violence shelters, and other government-operated buildings.
“I am proud to sign House Bill 608, which protects women’s safety and reinforces the very definition of what it means to be a woman,” Landry stated. “We want women across the country to know that your privacy, safety, and opportunities are valued and will always be protected in Louisiana.”
Opponents, particularly LGBTQ advocates, have dubbed the measure a “bathroom bill” due to its similarity to laws in other conservative states aimed at restricting restroom access for transgender individuals. Critics argue these laws harm transgender people and do little to enhance public safety.
The “Women’s Safety and Protection Act,” as labeled by its sponsors, mandates that men’s and women’s bathrooms and locker rooms be used exclusively by individuals who fit the state’s biological definitions of those genders. According to the law, the classification between male and female is based on whether a person’s reproductive system, “but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident,” produces ova or sperm.
Violations of the law could result in lawsuits and liability for “actual damages,” according to the bill’s text.
Petyton Rose Michelle, executive director of Trans Advocates of Louisiana, expressed strong opposition to the bill, stating, “Louisiana leaders have voted in favor of unfair treatment of LGBTQ+ kids and teachers. Their actions are appalling, and kids and our communities will bear the brunt.”
The bill received significant pushback from transgender advocates throughout the legislative session, which concluded on June 3. Its requirements also conflict with new federal Title IX rules, which protect transgender students’ rights. Additionally, leaders of domestic violence shelters have objected to the law due to potential conflicts with federal protections around housing transgender individuals.
Republican Rep. Roger Wilder III, the bill’s key sponsor, justified the law by emphasizing the need to protect women and girls’ privacy in sensitive spaces. “This bill ensures that women have their privacy respected in locker rooms, restrooms, and changing facilities in schools, shelters, and correctional facilities,” Wilder stated. “A woman entering into these vulnerable spaces should not have to fear that a man will be mere feet away from them and violate their privacy.”
In addition to this bill, lawmakers have passed two other measures this session that critics argue further erode LGBTQ rights in Louisiana. One bill restricts students’ ability to use their preferred pronouns in class, while another, referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, limits discussions of sexual orientation in schools. Governor Landry is expected to sign both measures into law.