Several woke athletes push for trans people to participate in women's competitions

The Republican Party introduced a bill aimed at "saving women's sports." LGBT soccer player Megan Rapinoe is one of the GOP measure's biggest detractors.

Allianz Arena, estadio del Bayern de Múnich (Alemania), con los colores de la bandera LGBT. — (Pixabay)

Published by

Alejandro Baños

11 de abril, 2023

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Athlete Ally, an organization of woke athletes, voiced its opposition to the Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act. A measure that would prohibit the participation of trans men in women's competitions.

In a letter, forty professional athletes, Olympians and Paralympians, including soccer players Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn and former basketball player Sue Bird, made public their criticism of the measure:

We believe that gender equity in sport is critical, which is why we urge policymakers to turn their attention and effort to the causes women athletes have been fighting for decades, including equal pay, an end to abuse and mistreatment, uneven implementation of Title IX, and a lack of access and equity for girls of color and girls with disabilities, to name only a few. Our deepest hope is that transgender and intersex kids will never have to feel the isolation, exclusion and othering that H.R. 734 is seeking to enshrine into law.

In February, the Republican Party introduced a bill - H.R. 734 - to "prohibit school sports programs from allowing persons whose biological sex at birth was male to participate in programs intended for women or girls." Lawmakers will vote next week on the measure in Congress. The Democratic Party has already stated that it will oppose.

"Transgender and intersex people are under attack"

The undersigned athletes pointed out that sports, "go far beyond the playing field to develop a sense of self and identity, and reflect what we value as a community," adding that if the bill is passed, trans people would be marginalized and "would not obtain benefits for their mental and physical health":

Sport is a tremendous outlet for physical and mental health, teaches valuable lessons on teamwork and discipline, and has brought us lifelong community. Every single child should have access to the lifesaving power of sports. Right now, transgender and intersex human rights are under attack, with politicians in Washington D.C. pushing forward H.R. 734, the so-called Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act, which would stipulate that Title IX compliance requires banning transgender and intersex girls and women from participating in sports. If this bill passes, transgender and intersex girls and women throughout the country will be forced to sit on the sidelines, away from their peers and their communities.

A bill supported by Riley Gaines

H.R. 734, sponsored by Republican Representative Greg Steube, was endorsed by Riley Gaines. This NCAA swimmer who gained popularity after delivering a speech in which she spoke about having to compete against a trans swimmer.

"As an athlete who has experienced the injustice of competing against a male firsthand, I'm grateful for the leadership of Representative Steube. He has made it clear that he will fight for fairness, privacy, and safety for girls and women in sports," the swimmer said.

A few days ago, Gaines was assaulted at San Francisco State University in California at the hands of a transgender man while giving a speech on women's rights in sports.

"Saving women's sports"

For his part, Representative Steube explained in March, that the bill serves to "save women's sports" and to relate sports categories to the biological sex of individuals.

The participation of transgender people in international athletics competitions is prohibited

The World Athletics Council has banned transgender athletes from participating in international competitions. The sporting body decided to veto athletes who have transitioned from male to female (and have gone through male puberty).

The rule began to be applied as of March 31. In addition, the president of the World Athletics Council, Sebastian Coe, noted that the decision was made in order to "protect women's sport" and indicated that there are currently no transgender athletes competing at the international level.