A populist party in New Zealand’s governing coalition has presented a bill to parliament that, if passed, would define individuals as either male or female based on their biology. This would hinder the legal recognition of trans men and women. The bill was proposed by a member of New Zealand First, a party with an uncertain prospect of the bill becoming law due to the required random selection from a ballot and majority support in parliament.
The leader of New Zealand First, Winston Peters, who also serves as the country’s deputy prime minister, stated that laws should align with biological facts and provide legal certainty. He commented that recent events, both domestically and internationally, indicate a shift back towards common sense, which validates their stance.
Peters outlined the bill’s definition of a woman as an “adult human biological female” and a man as an “adult human biological male.” Opposition leader Chris Hipkins expressed his view that the bill represents typical populist politics, arguing that addressing living costs, job losses, and a crisis in the health system should take priority over such legislation.
The bill targets legislation that defines how common terms should be interpreted, such as “de facto partner.” Its submission by a member of parliament rather than the government makes it less likely for parliament to allocate time for its discussion.
Inspired by a ruling from Britain’s highest court, the proposed law adheres to the conclusion that only biological and not trans women satisfy the definition of a woman within equality laws. The British ruling examined the protection from discrimination afforded under Britain’s Equality Act to a trans woman holding a gender recognition certificate (GRC), a document legalizing her new gender.
Transgender rights have become controversial in multiple countries, with critics on one side arguing that the conservative right employs identity politics to target minorities, while others contend that liberal support for trans individuals infringes upon the rights of biological women. In the United States, legal battles have emerged following President Donald Trump’s executive orders prohibiting transgender individuals from serving in the military.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/22/new-zealand-first-party-members-bill-gender-definition
