Virginia Republicans introduce bill to prevent transgender women from playing on women’s sports teams
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- With female athletes behind them on Wednesday, Virginia Republicans unveiled legislation to require sports teams at public high schools and most public and private colleges and universities in Virginia to designate sports teams as either male, female, or co-ed based on a student’s biological sex. In addition, athletes would be required to play on the sports team consistent with their sex assigned at birth and not their gender identity. “Biological males who have undergone puberty have a clear physical advantage over females. They jump higher, they run faster, they hit harder,” Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) said at a press conference on Wednesday. Supporters say the bills ensure fairness and safety in women’s sports because biological men have physical advantages over women. “These are the biological males who previously ran in the men's divisions and they were possibly number three, four or five, but when they come to the women's division they are number one, two, three,” said Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears (R). However, opponents say it’s designed to keep transgender women from playing on women’s sports teams. “I think it’s a violation of human rights to deny anyone the opportunity to participate in all the things that someone might want to do,” said Shannon McKay, Executive Director of He She Ze and We, a transgender rights advocacy group. Currently, the Virginia High School League (VHSL) has a policy requiring transgender athletes to provide medical documentation in order to play, something VHSL says only 30 students have done over the last four and a half school years. McKay says Republicans are in search of a solution for a problem that doesn’t exist. “It’s very depressing to think that you would not be welcome in those spaces, to be told that you do not have that opportunity will take a toll,” McKay told 8News. The Senate version of the bill will be heard in a Senate subcommittee on Thursday.
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- With female athletes behind them on Wednesday, Virginia Republicans unveiled legislation to require sports teams at public high schools and most public and private colleges and universities in Virginia to designate sports teams as either male, female, or co-ed based on a student’s biological sex.
In addition, athletes would be required to play on the sports team consistent with their sex assigned at birth and not their gender identity.
“Biological males who have undergone puberty have a clear physical advantage over females. They jump higher, they run faster, they hit harder,” Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Supporters say the bills ensure fairness and safety in women’s sports because biological men have physical advantages over women.
“These are the biological males who previously ran in the men's divisions and they were possibly number three, four or five, but when they come to the women's division they are number one, two, three,” said Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears (R).
However, opponents say it’s designed to keep transgender women from playing on women’s sports teams.
“I think it’s a violation of human rights to deny anyone the opportunity to participate in all the things that someone might want to do,” said Shannon McKay, Executive Director of He She Ze and We, a transgender rights advocacy group.
Currently, the Virginia High School League (VHSL) has a policy requiring transgender athletes to provide medical documentation in order to play, something VHSL says only 30 students have done over the last four and a half school years.
McKay says Republicans are in search of a solution for a problem that doesn’t exist.
“It’s very depressing to think that you would not be welcome in those spaces, to be told that you do not have that opportunity will take a toll,” McKay told 8News.
The Senate version of the bill will be heard in a Senate subcommittee on Thursday.
