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U.S. NEWS Monday 10 February 2025
As female representation hits new highs among states,

constitutions still assume officials are male

By SEJAL GOVINDARAO against the measure and
Associated Press concerns over the financial
PHOENIX (AP) — South Da- cost of making a change.
kota's constitution refers to Although "he" and "she" are
the governor as a "he." inherently inclusive of many
But for the past six years, transgender people who
the governor was a "she" — use those pronouns, Noem
Kristi Noem, the first female has a track record opposing
to hold the position there. gender transitions.
The conservative Republi- Noem signed a bill in 2023
can pushed a constitutional prohibiting gender-affirming
amendment to change the care for youth and in 2022
gendered language. But signed a bill banning trans-
voters rejected the measure gender girls and college-
in the 2024 general election age women from playing
that also would have been in school sports leagues that
inclusive of nonbinary peo- match their gender identity.
ple. Noem resigned her office in
Across the nation, state con- late January to oversee the
stitutions presume office- U.S. Department of Home-
holders are male, and they land Security under Trump,
increasingly are outdated. who issued an executive
This year, a record of 13 order last month directing
women were serving as gov- The South Dakota Capitol stands in Pierre, S.D., Jan. 10, 2024. Associated Press the federal government to
ernor before Noem stepped recognize only two sexes
down to serve in President In Connecticut, state Sen. call to update the state's shall deem" to "the Governor — male and female. Trump
Donald Trump's Cabinet. Mae Flexer says she'll make constitution, which was cre- deems." But amending the also signed an executive or-
In state legislatures, 2,469 another run at revising the ated in 1889. state's founding document der Wednesday that intend-
women are serving, accord- constitution in this year's leg- "The South Dakota state requires voter approval — ed to prohibit transgender
ing to the Center for Ameri- islative session. Some states, constitution requires the and South Dakotans didn't athletes from participating
can Women and Politics at like Nevada and Califor- governor to begin each go for it. in girls' and women's sports.
Rutgers University. nia, have made changes legislative session by giving The bill's sponsor, Republi- Trump emphasized his op-
Most states haven't mod- within their legislatures to the Legislature information can state Sen. Erin Tobin, position to transgender
ernized their constitutions refer to lawmakers as as- concerning the affairs of saw it as a way to reflect rights in his 2024 presidential
to reflect the rise of women semblymembers instead of the state and recommend- the state's progress in elect- bid. Aligned political action
in politics. Among those that assemblymen or assembly- ing the measures he consid- ing women and celebrating committees spent tens of
have are New York's, which women. ers necessary," Noem said. them. She said the amend- millions of dollars on anti-
became gender-neutral in "Language matters, it con- "Notice I didn't say 'she.' The ment failed partly because transgender attack ads.
2001, and Vermont's, where veys a message about val- constitution doesn't say she, of the word "pronoun" in the Had she been unfamiliar
voters approved a change ues, it conveys a message and maybe we should fix ballot question. with the South Dakota mea-
from "men" to "persons" in about who belongs," said that sometime." It entangled the effort with sure, Tobin said she would
1994. Debbie Walsh, director of A few months later, Noem the broader conservative have voted no based on
An effort in Washington the Center for American signed a bill to update male sentiment that "nonbinary" how it read. The state's attor-
state to update the state's Women and Politics. references to more gender- is not a legitimate gender ney general writes the titles
constitution died in a leg- Noem began her 2023 State neutral language in state identity. Others cited a and explanations for consti-
islative committee in 2023. of the State address with a law, such as changing "he lack of campaigning for or tutional amendments.q

Trump says he will announce 25% steel

and aluminum tariffs Monday, and

more import duties are coming

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Orleans to attend the Super that way," he told reporters.
AP Economics Writer Bowl. When asked about alu- Trump's comments are the
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- minum, he responded, "alu- latest example of his willing-
dent Donald Trump said he minum, too" will be subject ness to threaten, and in some
will announce on Monday to the trade penalties. cases to impose, import tax-
that the United States will Trump also reaffirmed that he es. Tariffs are coming much President Donald Trump, from right, speaks to reporters
impose 25% tariffs on all steel would announce "reciprocal earlier in his presidency than accompanied by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Burgum's
and aluminum imports, includ- tariffs" — "probably Tuesday or during his previous four years wife Kathryn Burgum, aboard Air Force One where Trump signed
ing from Canada and Mexico, Wednesday" — meaning that in the White House, when he a proclamation declaring Feb. 9 “the first ever Gulf of America
as well as other import duties the U.S. would impose import prioritized tax cuts and de- Day," as he travels from West Palm Beach, Fla. to New Orleans,
later in the week. duties on products in cases regulation. Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. Associated Press
"Any steel coming into the where another country has Financial markets fell on Fri-
United States is going to have levied duties on U.S. goods. day after Trump first said he consumer sentiment declined also found that Americans
a 25% tariff," he told reporters "If they are charging us 130% would impose the recipro- on Friday, largely because are expecting inflation to tick
Sunday on Air Force One as and we're charging them cal tariffs. Stock prices also many respondents cited tariffs up in the coming months be-
he flew from Florida to New nothing, it's not going to stay dropped after a measure of as a growing worry. The survey cause of the duties.q