WYOMING — On March 17, Governor Gordon indicated he will allow a bill prohibiting transgender students from playing on sports teams that match their gender identity to go into law without his signature.
Senate File 133 addresses student eligibility in interscholastic sports by stating “a student of the male sex shall not compete, and a public school shall not allow a student of the male sex to compete, in an athletic activity or team designated for students of the female sex.” Any private school team competing against a public school team must also adhere to the new law.
The new law also prohibits students from training with a team that does not match their gender identity and creates a high school activity eligibility commission to “determine eligibility based on physical characteristics for the age and gender group in a given gender-designated interscholastic activity including height, weight, physical characteristics relevant to the application of the standard…and other relevant factors.”
The ACLU of Wyoming opposed this legislation as a violation of the Civil Rights Act, which protects all students, including those who are transgender, from discrimination based on sex.
“Allowing Senate File 133 to go into law is shameful and only reinforces the incorrect notion that transgender students are not entitled to the same dignity and respect as all students,” says Antonio Serrano, ACLU of Wyoming advocacy director.
The law will go into effect as of July 1.
