Representative-elect Rebecca Dow has pledged to advocate for single-sex spaces to protect women and girls as part of her priorities for the 2025 legislative session. Dow made this commitment in a December 5 post on X.

"I wasn't elected based on my sex, yet since I'm asked—Among the urgent needs, like reforms to CYFD, PED, & criminal justice, I will fight for young girls & women to maintain single sex spaces," said Dow, District 38 NM State Representative.

According to a press release by the Independent Women’s Voice (IWV), the organization collaborated with New Mexico lawmakers in February 2024 to advance the Women’s Bill of Rights (HB 205). The bill aims to define sex-based terms in state law and protect single-sex spaces such as rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, and women’s athletic teams.

Rebecca Dow's tweet on single sex spaces. | https://x.com/dowfornm/status/1865182627311030700

In March 2023, the New Mexico Legislature passed the Human Rights Modernization Act, which updated the state's anti-discrimination laws to include explicit protections for LGBTQ individuals. This legislation aims to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in areas such as employment, housing, and public accommodations, reported The Hill.

Dow said that protecting women will be a top priority for the House Republican Caucus in the 2025 legislative session. "It begins with defining what a woman is and protecting single-sex spaces for women… the need is urgent, the time is now," she said.

Rebecca Dow, representative-elect for New Mexico’s House District 38, is a business leader, nonprofit founder, and advocate for education and family support. She has served on various state and national commissions, including as founder of the NM Early Childhood Alliance and chair of the Sierra County Juvenile Justice Advisory Council, according to her website.