Transgender rights targeted in executive order signed by Oklahoma governor

By SEAN MURPHY
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed an executive order targeting transgender rights in Oklahoma. Stitt signed the order on Tuesday, flanked by women from the anti-trans group Independent Women’s Voice. The order directs state agencies to use narrow definitions of “female” and “male” to correspond with the person’s sex assigned at birth. It also includes definitions for “man,” “boy,” “woman,” “father” and “mother.” It directs schools and other state agencies to use these definitions when collecting vital statistics. Stitt’s action was quickly denounced by the transgender rights group Freedom Oklahoma, which called the order a thinly veiled attack that codifies discrimination against transgender women.