Legislation (Definition of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill - Submission Guide

Oppose New Zealand First’s Member’s Bill!

Everyone deserves the right to be who they really are.

This Gender Definition Bill aims to change that.

The Legislation (Definition of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill amends the law to provide the rigid definitions of a woman as an “adult human biological female” and a man as an “adult human biological female”.

This Bill doesn’t protect or help anyone, it is a classic political tactic imported from overseas to target a minority community. 

Trans people aren’t a threat to anyone - one in five trans people have been threatened with violence because of their gender identity. This is a community that deserves to be safeguarded, not villainised.

The Bill has passed first reading and is now open for public submissions at Select Committee. ACT and NZ First have committed to passing this Bill at all stages, while National have not yet said whether they’ll support or oppose it.

We need your help to stop this Bill.

Make a submission to oppose this Bill and help safeguard our trans whanau.

Submissions close on Thursday 2 July 11.59pm 2026.

Why is this important?

Right now, trans people across Aotearoa are facing uncertainty about whether they will be able to continue living their lives if this Bill passes.

Losing the right to self-identify can infringe on their access to many everyday services, such as bathrooms, changing rooms and schools, as well as critical services such as women's shelters.

There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that the “problem” this Bill addresses is a real issue. In fact, there is significant evidence to show that the trans community is facing persecution as a direct consequence of Government decisions.

For intersex people, this Bill will lead to even further policing of their bodies and identities.

As the Government continues their assault on people and planet, it is more important than ever that we stand behind our trans community.

Self-identification of gender has been shown to:

• respect personal dignity and autonomy, 
• improve psychological and mental health,
• facilitate access to the correct social services, and
• support practical functioning in society.

We believe that trans people have the right to be who they are, and no one should try to change that.

What you might want to say in your submission:

Tell the Select Committee that you oppose this Bill. It’s really important that you do so in your own words. You may want to talk about:

• your own personal experience with your gender identity,
• your positive experiences with trans people in everyday life,
• that we are all entitled to our own self-identification,
• that trans people are not a threat to your or anyone else’s personal safety,
• how it makes you feel to have your gender identity set in stone,
• that for intersex and non-binary people, being forced into a category is cruel and dehumanising,
• that the problems this Bill seeks to address are not real issues.

Submit on the Bill by Thursday 2 July 11.59pm 2026