Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced a bill that would limit the ability of athletes to play against a team of the opposite birth gender. Ernst’s legislation addresses substantial concern regarding biological males competing against girls and women in high school and college sports.
Ernst and Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) introduced legislation in each house of Congress in opposition to a federal regulatory change. The proposed alteration to Title IX would prohibit bans on transgender athletes in high school and college sports, with the Biden administration proposing the changes in April.
“Doors that were opened over 50 years ago are being slammed in the faces of girls across the country because of the progressive left’s radical gender ideology,” Ernst said.
“Every time a girl steps onto the mat, court, field or track, she should know she has every opportunity to compete and win,” the senator said. “We must protect women’s sports.”
Ernst’s proposal follows a similar, successful effort in her home state. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed a bill last year that prohibited biological males from participating in primary, secondary, and collegiate sports.
This year, the governor signed a bill that mandated locker room use based on birth gender.
Ernst speaks against transgender athletes in women’s sports as Title IX hits year 50 https://t.co/c8SKA4vMoU
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Earlier this year, Tenney commented on a separate bill, the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.”
The New York Republican said that “President Joe Biden’s Department of Education and state agencies across the nation” allow for and encourage “biological men to participate in women’s sports.”
“This is fundamentally unfair,” she said. “It deprives women and girls of what so many of us fought for decades to achieve: equal opportunity to train, compete, excel in athletics. The Republican majority has pledged to protect women’s sports and today we’re delivering on that promise.”
Ernst’s proposed legislation comes as a number of states are enacting restrictions on transgender athletes.
Earlier this month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed a bill into law that would prohibit biological males from participating in women’s college sports.
The “Save Women’s Sports Act” includes a clause barring retaliation for those “reporting a violation” of the law.
“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.
