The new Republican-controlled Congress has voted to hear arguments on a bill that would prohibit transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports in the first 100 days of its session. The bill seeks to amend the Education Amendments of 1972 to define sex based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth for the purpose of determining compliance with Title IX in athletics. This move comes after Democrats have introduced multiple bills in support of transgender inclusion in sports, which have faced backlash and stalled progress in recent years.
Efforts by the Biden administration to enable transgender inclusion through executive orders have also faced challenges due to pushback from some Democrats amid a heated election year. The Department of Education withdrew a proposed rule that would have banned transgender athletes from women’s and girls sports after it was initially proposed in April 2023. With President-elect Trump and other prominent Republicans vowing to take action to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports, there is now a clear timeline for when this may happen.
Republican Rep. Greg Steube celebrated the vote to introduce the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which aims to ensure that biological females compete against other biological females in women’s sports sponsored by recipients of federal funding. Steube emphasized the need to protect women’s sports from men taking scholarships, records, and opportunities from female athletes. Other women’s activist groups, including Concerned Women for America, have voiced support for the legislative action on this issue, emphasizing the importance of protecting women’s dignity and restoring sensibility to public policy.
Conservative advocacy group Heritage Action for America also released a statement praising the vote and highlighting the legislative priorities included in the 119th Congress’s rules package. The group welcomed the re-election of House Speaker Mike Johnson and expressed eagerness to work with all members of Congress to enact a bold conservative agenda. A national exit poll found that a majority of moderate voters viewed Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender individuals participating in women’s sports and using women’s restrooms as an important issue, with 6% considering it the most important issue and 44% deeming it very important.
The push to prohibit transgender athletes from women’s sports highlights a broader cultural and political shift surrounding transgenderism in sports and its impact on the 2024 election. The bill introduced by Republicans reflects a commitment to protecting women’s sports from perceived threats and ensuring fair competition for biological females. While Democrats have previously championed transgender inclusion in sports, the issue has become increasingly contentious, leading to a divided stance on the matter within the political landscape. The upcoming debate in Congress will further clarify the stance of lawmakers on transgender participation in women’s sports and the protection of female athletes’ opportunities and rights.
