diff --git bazel/cython_library.bzl bazel/cython_library.bzl
index 48b41d74e8..6084734f59 100644
--- bazel/cython_library.bzl
+++ bazel/cython_library.bzl
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # been written at cython/cython and tensorflow/tensorflow. We branch from
 # Tensorflow's version as it is more actively maintained and works for gRPC
 # Python's needs.
-def pyx_library(name, deps=[], py_deps=[], srcs=[], **kwargs):
+def pyx_library(name, deps=[], copts=[], py_deps=[], srcs=[], **kwargs):
     """Compiles a group of .pyx / .pxd / .py files.
 
     First runs Cython to create .cpp files for each input .pyx or .py + .pxd
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ def pyx_library(name, deps=[], py_deps=[], srcs=[], **kwargs):
     Args:
         name: Name for the rule.
         deps: C/C++ dependencies of the Cython (e.g. Numpy headers).
+        copts: C/C++ compiler options for Cython
         py_deps: Pure Python dependencies of the final library.
         srcs: .py, .pyx, or .pxd files to either compile or pass through.
         **kwargs: Extra keyword arguments passed to the py_library.
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ def pyx_library(name, deps=[], py_deps=[], srcs=[], **kwargs):
         native.cc_binary(
             name=shared_object_name,
             srcs=[stem + ".cpp"],
+            copts=copts,
             deps=deps + ["@local_config_python//:python_headers"],
             linkshared=1,
         )
--