House passes transgender athlete ban for public school sports

Apr 20, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Editor/Digital Producer)

The House passed a bill April 20 that would ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s and girls’ sports at public schools. The bill would change Title IX’s definition of “sex” to one based solely on a person’s genetics at birth, not the gender that person identifies with.

While the bill is unlikely to go anywhere as the Democratic-controlled Senate is not expected to pick it up, and the White House is already threatening a veto, House Republicans did get their point across by putting the issue into the spotlight.

States across the country are passing their own legislation barring trans athletes from participating in women’s sports. More than 20 states have passed laws similar to what the House passed Thursday, April 20.

GOP leaders argue female sports become unfair with the participation of biological men. They argue that they are aiming to preserve women’s sports.

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders say the legislation is discriminatory. They have also recently proposed legislation changes.

In March, the Biden administration proposed a new federal rule change to Title IX that would preserve trans athletes’ rights in schools.

The House bill passed 219 to 203, strictly down party lines.

Tags: House of Representatives, Sports, Title IX, Transgender, Transgender athletes

KARAH RUCKER: THE HOUSE PASSED A BILL THURSDAY THAT WOULD BAN TRANSGENDER ATHLETES FROM PARTICIPATING IN WOMEN’S AND GIRLS SPORTS AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THE BILL WOULD CHANGE TITLE NINE’S DEFINITION OF “SEX” TO ONE BASED SOLELY ON A PERSON’S GENETICS AT BIRTH NOT THE GENDER IN WHICH A PERSON IDENTIFIES WITH.

WHILE THE BILL HAS NO WHERE ELSE TO GO WITH THE DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED SENATE NOT EXPECTED TO PICK IT UP AND THE WHITE HOUSE ALREADY THREATENING A VETO – HOUSE REPUBLICANS DID GET THEIR POINT ACROSS. PUTTING THE ISSUE INTO THE SPOTLIGHT.

STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE PASSING THEIR OWN LEGISLATION BARRING TRANS ATHLETES FROM PARTICIPATING IN WOMEN’S SPORTS. MORE THAN 20 STATES HAVE PASSED LAWS SIMILAR TO WHAT THE HOUSE PASSED TODAY – HIGHLIGHTED IN ORANGE ON THE MAP HERE.

GOP LEADERS ARGUE FEMALE SPORTS BECOME UNFAIR WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF BIOLOGICAL MEN – SO THEY ARGUE THEY ARE AIMING TO PRESERVE WOMEN’S SPORTS.

MEANWHILE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS SAY THE LEGISLATION IS DISCRIMINATORY.

THEY HAVE ALSO RECENTLY PROPOSED LEGISLATION CHANGES.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION JUST LAST MONTH PROPOSED A NEW FEDERAL RULE CHANGE TO TITLE NINE – THAT WOULD PRESERVE TRANS ATHLETES RIGHTS IN SCHOOLS.

THE HOUSE BILL PASSED 219 TO 203, STRICTLY DOWN PARTY LINES.