As the nation continues to face a global pandemic, some right-wingers are still finding time to push rampant transphobia. This time, a number of Republican senators introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2020. Does this bill really have anything to do with “protecting” women in sports? No, because it’s inherently exclusive to transgender women and girls. The bill seeks to essentially punish schools that receive federal education funding if they allow transgender women and girls to participate in sports that match their gender identity. So, according to this bill, if a transgender girl was allowed to play on the girls' team, that school would be at risk of violating U.S. law (in this case, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972)—and losing that federal funding.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, who led the pack when introducing the bill on Tuesday, wrote a press release wherein she doubles down on supporting women—but as we know, she’s only talking about cisgender women. “’I’m proud to lead this legislation to ensure girls of all ages can enjoy those same opportunities,” the release reads. “This commonsense bill protects women and girls by safeguarding fairness and leveling the athletic field that Title IX guarantees.”
You might be wondering how the bill defines sex. According to the bill, “sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” Interestingly—and as is quickly becoming the norm in conversations about trans-inclusion in sports—the bill doesn’t mention transgender men or boys. Co-sponsors for the bill include Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Mike Lee of Utah, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and James Lankford of Oklahoma.
It’s unclear whether the bill has a real chance of passing at this point, given that it’s already September, but these moves are a quietly growing, insidious part of the Republican platform. You might remember a similar bill that came out of the state legislator in Idaho. Though a federal judge ultimately blocked it, the bill also used advocating for women’s rights in sports as a thinly veiled cover for transphobia. That particular bill even went so far as to suggest that student-athletes would have to undergo DNA or genital exams in order to compete if their gender identity was challenged, though Loeffler’s bill is quite vague in terms of how they would determine sex, aside from the mention of “biology and genetics at birth.”
Republicans are not above trying to push anti-trans legislation as the nation stumbles toward a presidential election, flounders amid a pandemic, and tries to heal and fight against police brutality. Want to support transgender youth? We have a handy guide on how to use gender-neutral pronouns, as well as tips on how to support LGBTQ youth and be an effective ally in general.
from Daily Kos https://ift.tt/306LQmw
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