A new bill introduced in New Zealand’s Parliament by coalition partner New Zealand First has ignited a national debate over gender identity and legal recognition. The proposal aims to define men and women strictly by biological sex, excluding transgender individuals from being legally recognized under those terms.

The bill, introduced on Tuesday as a member’s bill, must be drawn from a ballot before it can be debated, and analysts believe it has little chance of passing. Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters argued the bill would restore legal clarity and reflect “biological reality,” while criticizing what he called the “deluded left.”

Opposition leader Chris Hipkins dismissed the move as populist politics, stating it diverts attention from pressing issues like inflation, job security, and healthcare.

The bill would impact legal definitions such as “de facto partner” and potentially set a national precedent. It comes in the wake of a UK Supreme Court ruling that legally defined “woman” as a biological female, drawing concern from trans rights advocates globally amid growing conservative pushback.

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