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Nebraska governor signs executive order defining men as "bigger, stronger and faster"

boingboing.net Nebraska governor signs executive order defining men as "bigger, stronger and faster" | Boing Boing

Nebraska governor Jim Pillen, a Republican not noted as a women’s rights supporter, yesterday issued an executive order “defining” males and females and the attributes thereof. Th…

Nebraska governor signs executive order defining men as "bigger, stronger and faster" | Boing Boing

Nebraska governor Jim Pillen, a Republican not noted as a women's rights supporter, yesterday issued an executive order "defining" males and females and the attributes thereof. The anti-transgender political grandstanding offers fusty explanations of the sexes–men are "bigger, stronger and faster" on average–in pursuit of Rowling-esque calls for sexual segregation (and even echoing her ostensibly feminist rationales) and not a lot else.

The order declares that, in matters of the state, the "biological differences between the sexes are enduring" and that the "sex" of a person will be defined by the gender designated at birth. In addition to specifically noting how boy, girl, man, and woman will be defined, the order also includes biological descriptions. …

"It is common sense that men do not belong in women's only spaces," Pillen said in the news release. "As Governor, it is my duty to protect our kids and women's athletics, which means providing single-sex spaces for women's sports, bathrooms, and changing rooms."

The reaction, at least from Democrats, is to point out that if it were enforced, the likely outcome would be Nebraska losing federal funding for womens' shelters.

"Today Governor Pillen, famous women's rights supporter, signed this offensive and ridiculous proclamation establishing a "Women's Bill of Rights." He should try saying this stuff to my face then we would see who's got what biological advantage," wrote State Senator Megan Hunt on Twitter.


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  • According to chat gpt:

    Are there instances of someone being born "female" but their reproductive system is not developed to produce ova?

    Yes, there are instances where individuals are born with female external genitalia but do not have fully developed reproductive systems to produce ova. This condition is known as Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, or simply MRKH. In MRKH syndrome, individuals typically have a vagina and external female genitalia but may lack a functional uterus and, in some cases, may not have fully developed ovaries. As a result, they may not be able to conceive children naturally.

    This condition highlights the complexity of human biology and serves as an example of how one's biological sex may not always align with traditional expectations. It reinforces the importance of recognizing that individuals' experiences of their own bodies can vary widely and that gender identity and biological sex are not always perfectly congruent.

    Furthermore, there are several other medical conditions and intersex variations that challenge the idea that biology alone can definitively determine one's gender identity. Here are a few examples:

    1. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH): CAH is a group of genetic disorders that affect the adrenal glands, leading to variations in hormone production. In some cases, individuals with CAH may have external genitalia that do not align with typical male or female appearance.

    2. Swyer Syndrome: Swyer syndrome is a condition where individuals are born with XY chromosomes but have non-functional testes and develop typically female external genitalia. This condition highlights the importance of chromosomes not being the sole determinant of gender identity.

    3. 5-alpha-reductase deficiency: This condition can result in individuals born with male chromosomes but ambiguous or female external genitalia due to a deficiency in the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone into its active form.

    4. Klinefelter Syndrome: Individuals with Klinefelter syndrome have an extra X chromosome (XXY), which can lead to variations in physical development, including less masculine secondary sexual characteristics.

    These conditions, among others, demonstrate that biological sex is not always straightforward and that it doesn't always align with an individual's gender identity. They emphasize the importance of considering multiple factors, including an individual's own understanding of their gender, when discussing matters related to gender and sex.

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