By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tuesday, House Republicans and leading voices against transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports, were on Capitol Hill to celebrate the passage of the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.”
“Today, the House voted to uphold common sense,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R- LA). “The American people sent a clear message in November. They want us to return to common sense.”
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) currently considers transgender competition rules on a sport-by-sport basis. But that could change under a bill passed by the Republican-controlled House on Tuesday.
“We voted to require all schools receiving federal funds to uphold the original meaning of Title IX and keep biological men out of women’s sports,” said Speaker Johnson.
The legislation would amend Title IX and require schools to follow strict gender definitions based on a person’s genetics at birth. If a school does not abide, federal funding would be at risk.
Opponents to the bill say it’s discriminatory in nature, especially for the three percent of American high schoolers who identify as transgender, according to the CDC.
“This bill is framed as protecting women and girls’ rights, when it does anything but that,” said Shiwali Patel, Senior Director of Safe and Inclusive Schools at the National Women’s Law Center.
“This legislation harms all women and girls. It’s a direct attack on women and girls who are trans and who are intersex, who do not fit into this narrow definition of sex that’s based on reproductive biology,” said Patel. “There are actual issues that Congress should be prioritizing, not something like this that actually is an attempt to further their hate against people who are trans,” Patel added.
Senate Republicans are expected to bring the bill up for a vote. However, passage in the upper chamber will require 60 votes, per the Senate’s filibuster rule. It’s a steep uphill battle for Republicans, who have a 53-47 Senate majority.
