Joe Biden announced that he would veto any attempt by the Republicans to ban transgender women from competing in women's sports. The legislation dubbed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 (the PROTECT Act), was introduced in the House of Representatives on April 10 and will soon be debated in Congress.
The White House commented on the matter in an administration policy statement, which stated that "If the President were presented with H.R. 734, he would veto it. H.R. 734 would deny access to sports for many families by establishing an absolute ban on transgender students—even those as young as elementary schoolers—playing on a team consistent with their gender identity," the missive added.
In addition, the statement criticized Republicans for sidestepping "pressing issues that families and students face today—such as raising teacher pay, keeping guns out of schools, addressing the mental health crisis our youth face, and helping students learn and recover academically from unprecedented disruptions," in order to "prioritize policies that discriminate against children."
The bill was introduced by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), who celebrated its creation by asserting that it "ensures that biological females compete against other biological females in women's competitive sports that are funded through Title IX."
"Allowing biological males to participate in women’s sports is a complete affront to the hardworking women and girls who have spent their lives training to achieve their dreams. It’s simple: biological males have no place in women’s sports," the Florida congressman added.
The White House has released a statement saying it would veto the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act if it made it to President Biden's desk.https://t.co/KKxF560R8X pic.twitter.com/FoxzNOORkL
— boysvswomen.com (@boysvswomen) April 17, 2023
To exemplify the matter, he mentioned the case of Emma Weyant of Sarasota. The young woman was stripped of her NCAA championship in the 500 freestyle by the famed Lia Thomas. "Floridians and Americans across the country are rightfully outraged at what women's sports have become. We have seen time and time again how the far left only favors fairness when it aligns with their woke agenda. That's why today I am pleased to reintroduce legislation to ensure women and girls a fair playing field in competitive sports," he said.
The PROTECT Act has 93 Republican cosponsors and will be heard this week by the House Rules Committee. According to the Movement Advancement Project, 21 states have enacted laws or policies prohibiting transgender athletes from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
Even the World Athletics Council has banned transgender athletes from competing internationally.
