Alabama parents are not on board with the Biden administration’s goal of creating a society where biological sex is replaced by “gender identity” in schools and everyday life, nor do they agree with the U.S. Department of Education’s aggressive revision of Title IX to redefine woman to include men who identify as female.

After 52 years of Title IX protecting equal academic, athletic and educational opportunities for women, the Biden Administration has brazenly exceeded its government powers to dismantle women’s rights as we know them.

If approved, the Biden Administration's new blanket Title IX regulations will set women back decades and undermine the remarkable progress Title IX has made. Sex and gender are not the same. Removing gender from Title IX would reverse all protections for women in education, including the preservation of women-only spaces such as sports locker rooms.

Fortunately, states can and do take action. And thankfully, in Alabama we know better. Governor Ivey was quick to issue a statement defending women recently, saying, “Alabama will not implement President Biden's obnoxious, illegal and dangerous revisions to Title IX. We will take this to court!”

Attorney General Steve Marshall was one of the first in the nation to speak out against this improper rule that violates the constitutional rights of students, parents, faculty and staff, and the state of Alabama itself, and I am hopeful that it will be swiftly repealed.

This is just one of many battles we will fight in the future. Our way of life is being challenged by a small but vocal segment of society that seeks to change the structure of our lives, redefining words and ignoring what we know to be true and good.

I have introduced House Bill 111 to clearly define the terms “man” and “woman” to provide clarity to our courts and state government agencies. For example, “woman” is used in 160 unique Alabama laws. Women and girls in Alabama have the right to live in a state that recognizes and protects their rights and their unique differences from men.

Words must have meaning, and my intent is to ensure we have uniform definitions that will stand up to judicial scrutiny and uphold states' positions on the meaning of “male,” “female,” “man” and “girl.”

Alabama already has fairness in sports laws, but this bill is necessary because it would prevent men who identify as women from gaining unrestricted rights to enter women's shelters, be housed in women's prisons, or join women's social clubs.

HB111, a bill pending in the Senate by Sen. April Weaver (R-Briarfield), would give meaning to common words to give Alabama courts clarity when interpreting existing laws. Hopefully, this will not be necessary, but it has proven crucial to ensuring women do not lose rights based on their sex.

“This bill doesn't take away anyone's rights or create special rights for women. It simply clarifies the definitions of words Alabama already uses in its laws so we can all speak a common language. It also asserts the state's interest in maintaining single-sex spaces to protect privacy, fairness, safety, and equal opportunity.”

The bill only needs a vote in the full Senate to pass, so time is of the essence with three business days remaining.

Let’s move HB 111 through the final legislative stages and send it to Governor Ivey’s desk for her signature.

Susan DuBose represents Alabama's 45th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. Paula Scanlan is an ambassador for Independent Women's Voice and a former swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania.