Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a law prohibiting transgender college athletes from competing on teams that do not match their biological sex beginning in September.
The SB 15, also known as the Save Women's Sports Act, extends another 2021 law that prohibits the same for transgender athletes in school. Male students may not compete in coed intercollegiate athletic competitions in positions designated "by rule or procedure for female students." However, it still allows female students to compete in positions designated for males as long as no corresponding positions are offered or available for females.
"Today is an important day for female athletes across the state of Texas, including little girls who aspire to one day compete in college sports," the governor said after signing the bill into law.
Collegiate sports help young women thrive, learn valuable life skills, & achieve their dreams.
Allowing biological men to compete against them threatens this pathway for young women to succeed.
Today, I signed the Save Women's Sports Act to safeguard women's collegiate sports. pic.twitter.com/tDncfbHBbH
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 15, 2023
Abbott emphasized that beginning in September, when the legislation goes into effect, young women in Texas can be assured that the integrity of their sports will be protected, safeguarding the legacy of women's sports for generations to come. "Sports have inspired many women to cast bold visions and dreams of what they want to achieve," he said, stressing that allowing biological men to compete against them threatens the path to success for women.
The opinion of Americans
According to a recent Gallup poll, more and more people are rejecting transgender people's participation in competitions whose categories do not correspond to their biological sex.
According to the study, between 2021 and 2023, the percentage of Americans who believe that sex is a determining factor in sports competitions and that trans people should participate in the categories of their biological sex grew seven percentage points from 62% to 69%.
