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Senator Alex Antic has risen in Parliament to flag his intent to introduce a private senator’s bill to restore sex-based rights to the Sex Discrimination Act and remove gender identity as a protected characteristic.

Senator Antic reminded the Senate that the Gillard government removed sex based protections in 2013, which has resulted in the “safety, privacy and opportunities of women” being significantly compromised.

In a post on X, Antic wrote:

In 2013, the Gillard Labor government amended the Sex Discrimination Act to remove the definitions of “man” and “woman” and inserted “gender identity” as a protected category. I am soon introducing a Private Senator’s Bill to undo these changes and restore the intended purpose of the Act.

‘Sex Is Not a Social Construct’: Senator Antic

The Senator for South Australia affirmed that “sex is not a social construct. It is a core biological reality that underpins human nature and the protections the Act was meant to provide.”

He referred to possibly unintended consequences that Julia Gillard made to the Act, and is seeking to restore common sense and reality to it. He also said the best way to care for those suffering from gender dysphoria is to speak the truth:

My bill would remove the references to gender identity and restore the Act’s clear definitions of man and woman as members of the male and female sex, respectively – ensuring that the Act once again protects women, upholds fairness, and respects the truth.

It is quite incredible that in 2025, this even needs to be said.

It is mind-boggling that laws have been changed to protect lies and deception at the expense of women’s dignity, safety and fairness. It is outrageous that politicians think they can defy reality and the laws of nature and get away with it.

Watch Senator Alex Antic’s speech below.

Video Transcript

Thank you. I rise to indicate that I intend to introduce a private senator’s bill to amend the Sex Discrimination Act by removing the references to gender identity and restoring the Act to its original purpose.

In 2013, the Gillard government introduced gender identity as a protected attribute of the Act. This changed the Act’s intent, creating a situation where the safety, privacy, and opportunities of women are now challenged pursuant to the very law that was designed to protect them.

Sex is not a social construct. It’s a core biological reality that underpins human nature and the protections the Act was meant to provide. The 2013 amendments made discrimination based on one’s appearance or mannerisms, with reference to gender identity, an offence.

It is this approach that has led to outcomes which one suspects were not actually properly considered at the time of the amendment in 2013.

If we really care about those who are suffering from gender dysphoria, we should be speaking this truth—not amplifying the issue. And the confusion, it must be said, needs to end.

My bill would remove the references to gender identity and restore the Act’s clear definitions of man and woman as members of the male and female sex, respectively—ensuring that the Act once again protects women, upholds fairness, and respects the truth.

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Republished with thanks to Binary. Originally titled, “Senator Antic intends to remove gender identity protections from the Sex Discrimination Act”. Image via YouTube/Alex Antic.