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.
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:
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":
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.