House Republicans are setting up a vote next week on legislation aimed at keeping biological males out of girls’ and women’s sports at colleges, universities and public schools across the nation.
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act was introduced by Rep. Greg Steube, a Florida Republican who says it's time to "save women's sports" from biological males who have "no place" competing against women.
The vote comes as the debate over transgender rights and the effect of those rights on American culture continue to stoke controversy. Just last week, NCAA champion swimmer and Independent Women’s Forum spokesperson Riley Gaines was assaulted by protesters at San Francisco State University as she argued against transgender female athletes being allowed to compete against biological female athletes.
Gaines said she supported Steube’s bill when he introduced it this year.
"As an athlete who has experienced the injustice of competing against a male firsthand, I'm grateful for the leadership of Representative Steube," Gaines wrote. "He has made it clear that he will fight for fairness, privacy, and safety for girls and women in sports."
Under Steube’s bill, educational institutions that receive Title IX funding from the federal government would not be allowed to "permit a person whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designed for women or girls."
