HOUSE GOP PASSES TRANSGENDER SPORTS BAN

Christopher Kane of The LA Blade, Courtesy of The National LGBT Media Association

The U.S. House of Representatives on April 20 passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (HR 734), a bill that would prohibit transgender women and girls from competing on school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

Members voted 219-203 along party lines for passage of the bill, which was introduced by U.S. Rep. Gregory Steube (R-Fla.) and is the first standalone piece of legislation restricting the rights of trans Americans that has ever been considered by the lower chamber.

In anticipation of the move by House Republicans, the White House issued a statement April 17 vowing to veto the proposal, should it ever reach the president’s desk — an unlikely outcome, considering Democrats’ majority control of the U.S. Senate.

“As gun violence plagues our schools, anti-equality politicians decided the most pressing priority for the House was to ban trans girls of all ages from playing on school sports teams with their friends,”

Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said in a statement published by the caucus on April 20.

“Trans girls deserve the same opportunity as all other girls — to be part of a team, learn sportsmanship and challenge themselves,” Pocan said, adding, “I condemn today’s vote to rob trans girls of these opportunities” and “my colleagues who voted for this bill should be ashamed.”

U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), who co-chairs the Equality Caucus, condemned passage of the “dangerous bill that targets transgender and intersex youth for discrimination.”

The bill “is so vaguely written,” Torres said, “that it could force any girl [emphasis original] to undergo invasive medical exams to ‘prove’ their sex and answer deeply personal questions about their bodies and physical development to adults they might not even know.”

Most major LGBTQ+ and civil rights advocacy groups issued similar statements condemning the passage of HR 734.

Julianna S. Gonen, federal policy director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, accused House Republicans of bullying, exclusion, and cruel treatment of trans kids, writing that the GOP caucus had “crossed a dangerous line” and urging “their constituents to hold them accountable.”

“To our legislators, we say: PFLAG families with transgender and nonbinary kids are your relatives and neighbors, your colleagues and friends, your constituents,” said Brian Bond, the group’s executive director. “We will continue leading with love to ensure that all kids are safe, celebrated, empowered and loved so that they can live their best and fullest authentic lives.”

“Young transgender people should not have to watch lawmakers debate their basic humanity,” said GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis.

“House Republicans “know this bill will not become law because President Biden has already signaled his intention to veto it, so this is purely a waste of time at the expense of an already marginalized population,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson.

“We know that attacking trans kids didn’t work in the 2022 election, and it won’t work in 2024 either,” she added