House Republicans Continue Fight Against Transgender Youth

House Republicans Continue Fight Against Transgender Youth with New Legislation

December 18, 2023 – Today, House Republicans have chosen to continue its fight against transgender youth by proposing new legislation to ban transgender women and girls from competing on female school sports teams. GLSEN, the leading education organization dedicated to protecting LGBTQ+ youth, vehemently opposes the GOPs ongoing attacks against trans students and urges strong federal protections that ensure transgender, nonbinary, and intersex youth can participate in school sports in a manner consistent with their gender identity.

Introduced by Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the proposed “Save Women’s Sports Act” would require public K-12 schools and colleges to designate sports teams based on sex assigned at birth. The Act includes a second clause stating that only biological females at birth will be able to participate on female sports teams. Schools in violation of this Act will risk losing access to all federal funding.

GLSEN condemns the GOPs continued attempts to disparage transgender students and withhold them from leading fulfilling lives. Not only will the Act cause harm to students, but it completely disregards the well-being of the student, showing that once again, the GOP prioritizes its political agenda over the safety and wellness of adolescent LGBTQ+ Americans.

“Whether in physical education class or in competitive sports, all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be able to play and feel like they belong. Despite right-wing extremists’ frequent claims that transgender girls are a threat to women’s sports, research shows that trans-inclusive policies have no negative effect on girls’ sports participation. Exclusionary policies - like the ones promoted by this bill - actually deter a broader range of students from participating in girls’ sports, especially students of color,” said GLSEN’s Executive Director, Melanie Willingham-Jaggers. “Across the board, education experts and associations strongly support the full inclusion of transgender students in physical education and athletics. For all students, having the opportunity to participate in sports results in positive outcomes, including physical development, social skills and psychological well-being.”

For press inquiries, please reach out to:

GLSEN
Madison Hamilton, Director of Communications and Public Voice
madison.hamilton@glsen.org

Lucky Break PR
Mike Stommel, Lucky Break PR
mike@luckybreakpr.com

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About GLSEN

GLSEN is a multi-racial intergenerational LGBTQ+ organization working nationally and locally to transform K-12 educational systems in the United States. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach millions of students and educators in K-12 schools, via action at the national, state, and local level. Since 1990, GLSEN has improved conditions for LGBTQ+ students across the United States and helped launch an international movement to address LGBTQ+ issues in education.