The Florida House passed a bill that would bar transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girl’s scholastic sports.
“This is about giving women and girls an equal chance to succeed,” said state Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, a former tennis player and coach. “It’s simple. It’s clear. I’ve reviewed it.”
The bill passed the Republican-controlled state House on Wednesday, 77-40.
If passed, the bill would require public schools and college sports teams to admit athletes based on biological sex, not gender identity.
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“It is the intent of the Legislature to maintain opportunities for female athletes to demonstrate their skill, strength, and athletic abilities while also providing them with opportunities to obtain recognition and accolades, college scholarships, and the numerous other long-term benefits that result from success in athletic endeavors and to promote sex equality by requiring the designation of separate sex-specific athletic teams or sports,” HB 1475, the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, states.
Democrats have pushed back against the legislation, with state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith saying, “transgender children … have been weaponized and turned into political pawns.”
“I don’t care how many times you tell yourself this is about women’s sports and not LGBTQ rights or discrimination, because that is wrong,” state Rep. Anna Eskamani said of the bill.
The bill still needs to pass the Republican-controlled Senate before it can head to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk.
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If passed, Florida would join Idaho, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee in reserving women’s and girl’s sports for biological females.
“I signed the bill to preserve women’s athletics and ensure fair competition,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said of his state’s law on the matter. “This legislation responds to damaging federal policies that stand in opposition to the years of progress made under Title IX and I commend members of the General Assembly for their bipartisan work.”
