White House Threatens To Veto Republican-Sponsored Anti-Trans Bill Passed By House

White House Threatens To Veto Republican-Sponsored Anti-Trans Bill Passed By House

The House has approved a Republican-sponsored bill prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in women’s and girls’ sports at federally supported schools and educational institutions.

Representative Greg Steube of Florida introduced the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act” bill, which the White House has threatened to veto. Thursday’s vote comes in the midst of a nationwide drive by the GOP to adopt legislation that forbids transgender athletes from competing in sports.

According to a fact sheet from the House committee on Education and the Workforce, the anti-bill would not

“prohibit schools or institutions from permitting males to practice against women’s sports teams.”

The fact sheet also states that

“a recipient of federal education funding violates Title IX’s prohibition against sex discrimination if the recipient operates, sponsors, or facilitates athletic programs or activities and allows a person whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls.”

Title IX forbids sex-based discrimination in educational activities or initiatives that receive federal financing.

The House bill would forbid transgender women and girls from competing on sports teams that reflect their gender identity. According to the bill language, it attempts to change federal law to mandate that, in deciding whether athletic programs are in conformity with Title IX,

“sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”

Republicans contend that transgender women are physically superior to cisgender women in sports and their participation may limit chances for others.

However, Democrats contend that laws limiting transgender athletes’ access to team sports worsen the discrimination trans people, particularly trans adolescents, endure. Furthermore, they contend that by supporting the bill, Republicans are attempting to restrict the rights of LGBTQIA children.

Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin said,

“Trans kids deserve the right to be equal members of their school communities, learn sportsmanship, and challenge themselves outside of the classroom, including by participating in school sports.”

According to the White House‘s statement of administration policy for the bill,

“Discrimination has no place in our nation’s schools or on our playing fields. At a time when transgender youth already face a nationwide mental health crisis, with half of transgender youth in a recent survey saying they have seriously considered suicide, a national law that further stigmatizes these children is completely unnecessary, hurts families and students, and would only put students at greater risk.”

What are your thoughts on the House passing an anti-trans bill? Let us know in the comments!

[VIA]