A vote on legislation proposed by Republican members of the House of Representatives to prevent biological males from participating in girls’ and women’s sports at public schools, colleges, and institutions throughout the country is scheduled to take place next week.
Rep. Greg Steube, a Republican from Florida, is the one who came up with the idea for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. Steube is of the opinion that it is time to “save women’s sports” from biological males who have “no place” competing against female athletes.
The decision comes at a time when the argument over transgender rights and the impact such rights will have on American society is continuing to stir up controversy. Riley Gaines, an NCAA champion swimmer and spokeswoman for the Independent Women’s Forum, was physically attacked by demonstrators at San Francisco State University only one week ago as she was speaking out against the practice of allowing transgender female athletes to compete against biological female athletes.
When Steube submitted his measure earlier this year, Gaines said that she would support it.
“As an athlete who has experienced the injustice of competing against a male firsthand, I’m grateful for the leadership of Representative Steube,” Gaines wrote. “He has made it clear that he will fight for fairness, privacy, and safety for girls and women in sports.”
The legislation proposed by Steube would make it illegal for educational institutions to “permit a person whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designed for women or girls.” According to the text of the measure, the only factor that might be used to determine an athlete’s sexual orientation is their “reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” Transgender female athletes would be allowed to train or practice in girls’ sports programs under the new law; however, this privilege would be contingent on there being no loss of roster spots for biologically female athletes.
