CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A bill that would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports that match their gender identity moved out of the Senate Education Committee Feb. 23.
Senate File 51, the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” would only allow transgender women and girls to participate on sports teams that match the gender they were assigned at birth.
It only applies to transgender women and girls; transgender men and boys can participate men’s sports.
A similar policy already exists in the Wyoming High School Activities Association that officials say works fine. The bill’s top sponsor said she didn’t know about the existing policy when she filed the bill last month.
Critics of the bill say it is a violation of Title IX and inherently discriminatory.
“Transgender students participate in sports for the same reasons other young people do: to challenge themselves, to stay fit and healthy and to be a part of a team. Trans students’ humanity, dignity, and ability to be full members of their school communities should never be up for debate like this,” said Antonio Serrano, ACLU of Wyoming advocacy manager. “If supporters of Senate File 51 really wanted to protect fairness in women’s sports, they would tackle the actual threats to women’s sports such as severe underfunding, lack of media coverage, sexist ideologies that suggest that women and girls are weak, and pay equity for coaches,” Serrano said. “It’s obvious that this discriminatory legislation is about solving problems that don’t exist.”
Wyoming is one of several states waged in ideological warfare against transgender kids and athletes. Senate File 51 is among more than 20 similar bills in states across the country. Texas Governor Greg Abbott went as far yesterday as pushing state agencies to investigate gender-affirming care, which medical professionals largely support, as “child abuse.”
