The Houghton County Board of Commissioners will be considering a resolution, at their meeting this Tuesday, which would declare that there are only two sexes, male and female. The resolution would define that, “a male has XY Chromosomes, and a female has XX Chromosomes” and that “there are no other options.” Additionally, the resolution “encourages all other Michigan Counties and the State of Michigan to recognize that there are only two sexes, Male, and Female, and that science is clear you cannot change your chromosomes.”
Considerable public backlash against this resolution is already apparent ahead of the meeting, with several local groups organizing campaigns for residents to contact their commissioner and encourage them to vote against the resolution. A coalition of organizations, including Keweenaw Against the Oligarchy, Keweenaw Indivisible, Keweenaw Socialists, Keweenaw Youth for Climate Action, We the People Michigan, and Michigan United Action, have announced a protest outside of the Houghton County Courthouse prior to the meeting.
Despite the suggestion that these declarations are based in science, the claims made in this resolution run counter to the mainstream scientific understanding of human genetics. It is true that individuals with XY chromosomes typically developed in a way which is labeled as male and that individuals with XX chromosomes typically develop in a way which is labeled as female but these are not the only configurations of sex chromosomes which humans can be born with. While fairly rare people are born with X, XXY, XYY, XXX, and XXYY configurations and live full and complete lives. It is unclear how these individuals would be classified under this resolution.
Additionally some people are born with conditions which cause their body to develop in ways which don’t align with the typical development of an individual with the same chromosomal configuration. For example, an individual with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome possess XY chromosomes but develops typical female genitalia and secondary sexual characteristics. Due to the rareness of chromosome testing for most people, many of those with atypical chromosome configurations or mismatched development never find out.
If the resolution does pass on Tuesday it is unclear what immediate effect it would have. The resolution would be non-binding and a county does not have the authority to override Michigan law in regards to gender markers on documents. The Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex and gender identity in access to public accommodations in the State of Michigan so any action taken by officials in Houghton County on the basis of this resolution would likely be met with legal challenges.
Additional updates will be published as this story develops.
All commissioners were approached for comment but no comments were received at time of publishing.
Griffin Abbott