Texas Officially Bans Transgenders from Female Sports in Schools
Gov. Greg Abbott signs bill into law to protect girls' sports events
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The state of Texas has officially banned transgender athletes from competing in female school sports events.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill into Texas law that effectively bans biological males from competing against biological females in public schools.
The groundbreaking bill impacts sports from elementary school to collegiate sports.
The new law is due to take effect in mid-January and is aimed at protecting fairness in sports.
The measure seeks to eliminate what opponents say is an unfair competitive advantage.
The news comes after mounting concerns about the inherent physical competitive advantage of transgender athletes playing on female teams.
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The Texas Tribune reported:
House Bill 25, authored by state Rep. Valoree Swanson, R-Spring, will require student athletes who compete in interscholastic competition to play on sports teams that correspond with the sex listed on their birth certificate at or near their time of birth.
It is set to go into effect Jan. 18.
Seven other states have passed similar laws this year.
The effort is part of a Republican-led national campaign that started in March 2020 when Idaho barred biological male athletes from competing on sports teams against those born female in public schools or colleges.
Enforcement of the Idaho ban has been blocked by a federal court pending the outcome of a legal challenge against the measure.
Other states whose legislatures have followed Idaho's lead include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
Meanwhile, South Dakota's governor acted by executive order.
Some of those are likewise under court challenge.
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Still, at least 35 bills to exclude transgender youth from athletics have been introduced in 31 states this year, up from 29 in 2020 and two in 2019, according to a tally earlier this year by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The transgender sports measure marks the latest in a slate of conservative bills advanced by Texas's legislature and Republican governor this year.
Changes include laws codifying voting processes, restricting abortion, and protecting the Second Amendment.
