House Passes Bill to Bar Transgender Women from Competing in Girls’ Sports

Washington: A bill that stops transgender women from competing in female sports just passed the House. It was a close call, with only two Democrats joining 216 Republicans to support it. The bill, called the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, says schools that get federal funds can’t let anyone who is male join girls’ sports teams.

All the Democrats voted against it, except for Rep. Don Davis, who voted “present.” Two Texas Democrats, Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, broke ranks to support the bill. Rep. Greg Steube, one of the bill’s sponsors, celebrated its passage, claiming it reflects what the American people want: no men in women’s sports.

However, many Democrats, including Rep. Jerry Nadler, criticized the bill, calling it a harsh attack on transgender kids. Nadler even warned it could lead to invasive examinations of biological women. This bill has been around before, passing the House last Congress but stalling in the Democrat-led Senate.

Now, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate. Republicans are hopeful it will pass there and reach President-elect Donald Trump soon. But it needs 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. Sen. Tommy Tuberville has introduced a Senate version, backed by many GOP colleagues.

This vote comes right after a judge blocked the Biden administration’s attempt to expand Title IX protections to include transgender and gay individuals. The Biden administration wanted to redefine “sex” to include “gender identities,” which critics argued would harm women’s sports.

The bill aims to amend Title IX, stating that sex should be based on a person’s biological sex at birth. It also allows males to train with females as long as it doesn’t take away spots on teams or scholarships for women.

About 3% of high school students in the U.S. identify as transgender. Many states are pushing similar laws. Transgender rights are a hot topic in the upcoming elections, with some Democrats feeling it hurt their chances in recent races.

Rep. Seth Moulton stirred controversy by saying he didn’t want his daughters to be overrun by male athletes. He voted against the bill, saying it wasn’t a fair solution.

Trump has shown support for measures to protect female sports. Last year, there was a big debate over whether transgender women could use women’s restrooms, especially after Rep. Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender representative, was elected. Some Republicans were vocal against her using women’s facilities, leading to new policies reserving women’s restrooms for biological women in the Capitol.