Transgender sports bill expected to pass soon
By: Sierra Wells
Multimedia Journalist
After being passed by both the Texas House of Representatives and the senate, House Bill No. 25, which requires public school students to compete against members of their biological sex in interscholastic sports, will go to Gov. Greg Abbott for final approval.
Photo Courtesy of the Associated Press
Introduced by Rep. Valoree Swanson, this bill intends to create an equal playing field for female students in athletics.
Swanson said, “Biological males, in addition to having much higher testosterone levels, have many other physiological advantages that girls just cannot overcome.”
Many are concerned with how transgender children in Texas will be impacted if this bill is signed into law. State Rep. Jessica Gonzalez criticized the morality of the bill in relation to transgender youth.
Photo courtesy of KXAN
Gonzalez said, “Here we are again, debating their lives, debating their dignity, letting them know that they are second class, that there are the other, and that’s not the kind of Texas that we want to be.”
According to the Trans Athlete website, Texas is not the first state to present this type of legislation. In fact, over 30 other states have introduced bills to prevent transgender individuals from participating in sports based on their chosen gender, including Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and more.
Photo courtesy of https://www.transathlete.com/k-12
Holding the final say on the matter, Abbott is expected to sign the bill into law, due to declarations he has made regarding the situation.
Abbott released a statement on Oct. 19 saying, “Both chambers also passed legislation to protect the integrity of Texas high school sports, strengthen higher education, protect dogs from cruelty and abuse, and expand access to education grants for children of fallen first responders. These dynamic achievements would not have been possible without the men and women of the Texas House and Senate who worked tirelessly through the third Special Session to ensure these priorities made it across the finish line. Because of their efforts, the future of Texas is stronger, safer and freer.”
For more information, visit https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HB25/id/2434187
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