The Congressional Democrats voted for and passed HR 5 which is an assault on women’s rights replaced by rights of transgender ideology. If this bill were to become law, transgender men who identify as women would receive more rights and place women in a disadvantage as well as place women in danger. The federal bill itself would allow transgender men to join female only clubs, allowing men use showers and private bathing of natural women. Any restrictions would be considered discrimination. Transgender men would be allowed to be placed in shelters used for only women. Often, these women are battered or raped by men; but by law they would be required to be housed with men. These transgender men would be allowed to participate in female sports nationwide, eliminating scholarships for several women. Already high school girls have already lost scholarships.

President Trump reversed policies set up through Democrats that had required shelter operators to make women share rooms with transgender men. News reports revealed women were kicked out of the shelter when they refused to share the room with such men. As Trump removed such policies, shelter operators are now required to determine who uses these shelters and bathrooms based on one’s biological sex. Democrats objected. Still, 17 states run by Democrats continue to force women to share such facilities with any man who states he feels like he is a woman.

In Connecticut, 16-year-old Selina Soule lost scholarships and missed qualifying for the New England Regional for track after two boys who identified themselves as girls came in first and second in the female track event. Selina responded, “They took away spots of deserving girls, athletes….me being included.”

As Democrats push HR 5 to allow “gender identity” to be a protected class, any man can identify himself as a female at any time, placing women at a disadvantage and also, in some cases, in danger.

An article in the Daily Signal documented multiple cases of biological girls being forced to share locker rooms or bathrooms with boys, despite their safety concerns or discomfort.

Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko stated the following about the bill: “It would allow anyone, at any time, to declare that he or she is a member of the opposite sex without any medical or psychological diagnosis … It would erase women’s and girls’ rights by requiring facilities, such as schools, churches, dormitories, domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, to allow biological males who identify as women, in women’s bathrooms, women’s and girls’ shelters, women’s and girls’ showers, and in women’s locker rooms. This will indeed violate their safety … (it) will eliminate women’s and girls’ sports…. will also require, doctors to provide sex change hormones to adolescents without a medical or psychological diagnosis.  Congress should only pass laws that protect women, not threaten, silence or abandon them.”

The Democrat party not only has a racist history; but also fought against rights for women 100 years ago. 

The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, granting women equal rights including the right to vote. However, passage of this amendment was fought by Democrats. Republicans have fought for women’s rights going back to its founding in 1854. In 1878, a California Republican named A.A. Sargent introduced the 19th Amendment only to see it voted down by the Democrat-controlled Congress.  Each year, the Republicans would introduce the Amendment with the Democrats defeating the effort.

Republicans in California, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho and Washington granted women rights through the state and by 1918, when Republicans won sweeping victories in Congress, they finally passed the 19th Amendment, granting women equal rights.

The Democrats may tout the Equality Act for transgenders but their bill does not bring equality to women. Instead, it only places women in danger, at a disadvantage, and set women back once again as Democrat policies are actually a war on women.

Frank Aquila is president of the South San Joaquin Republicans and author of the book, “Sarah Palin Out of Nowhere”.  He can be emailed at mantecarepublicans@yahoo.com