House Republicans pass bill to ban trans women from school sports
House Republicans pass bill to ban trans women and girls from school sports
Source: ALLISON ROBBERT / Getty
House Republicans have passed a contentious bill aiming to bar transgender women and girls from participating in school sports, intensifying debates over transgender rights and federal education policy. The “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act” passed in the House with a 218-206 vote, with two Texas Democrats crossing party lines to support it.
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The legislation redefines Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education, to classify sex as “reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” This change would prohibit transgender athletes from joining teams aligned with their gender identity in schools receiving federal funds. Florida Representative Greg Steube, who sponsored the bill, stated, “Humanity has always recognized the biological differences between men and women, as God created.”
While this marks the first standalone federal legislation targeting transgender rights to pass either chamber of Congress, its chances in the Senate are slim. Republicans hold 53 seats, but the bill requires significant Democratic support to reach the 60-vote threshold.
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The measure has faced significant backlash from civil rights groups, with over 400 organizations warning that it could lead to invasive inquiries into students’ private medical information. Critics, including New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, highlighted the lack of a clear enforcement mechanism, cautioning that the bill could result in harmful practices. “When there’s no enforcement mechanism, you open the door for every enforcement mechanism,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Supporters claim the legislation is necessary to preserve the integrity of women’s sports and uphold Title IX’s original intent. However, similar state-level efforts have sparked widespread criticism. In 2023, Florida officials abandoned a proposal to track students’ menstrual cycles following public outrage.
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The Department of Education would oversee compliance, but details on enforcement remain vague. Proponents suggest using birth certificates to verify students’ sex, a method critics argue could lead to inconsistencies and privacy violations.
The bill’s passage coincides with broader political tensions, including Republican efforts to restrict bathroom access in the Capitol, a move perceived as targeting Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress. Furthermore, Republicans have reportedly tied natural disaster relief funding for wildfire-ravaged southern California to federal debt ceiling negotiations, adding to the complexities.
As the bill advances to the Senate, its future remains uncertain. However, its passage underscores ongoing national divides over gender identity, education, and civil rights, marking a pivotal moment in the conversation around equality and inclusion.
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