Wisconsin Democrats are denouncing a GOP-authored state bill that would protect young Americans from the intrusion of transgender ideology into their sports and games.
“When code words like ‘fairness’ and ‘leveling the playing field’ are brought forth in these bills, these are dog whistles for discrimination and exclusion,” Democratic Rep. Lee Snodgrass declared as she announced the Democrats’ opposition to the protection bill. She continued:
We’ve learned under four years of ex-President Trump that when Republicans want to stir up their base, they seek forms of bigotry, stoke fear, and perpetuate false narratives about marginalized groups. When you are fed a steady diet of Fox News narratives, wedge issues, and other attacks [become] lazy fast lanes to the support for your cause.
The Wisconsin “Protecting Women in Sports Act” bill was introduced on March 2 by GOP Rep. Barabra Dittrich. The GOP controls the state House and Senate, but the Democrats hold the governor’s office. A statement from Dittrich’s office said:
Now, in a fractured, well-meaning attempt at inclusion, women’s achievements have once again been put at great risk of loss. Biological females are losing opportunities at titles, records, scholarships, and even participation. Additionally, by ignoring the scientific, biological fact that males have higher bone density, greater muscle mass, and often greater height, women are being put in physical danger of greater injury in competition …
Parents and athletes throughout my legislative district who have devoted countless hours to supporting fair competition and athletic excellence have come to me asking, “Representative, what are you going to do about this?
Amid Snodgrass’s invective, Dittrich has multiple independent polls, science, and health studies on her side:
Snodgrass argued that children will be victimized by the GOP effort to protect girls’ sports from males who declare themselves to be women:
Just like the attempted bans prohibiting transgender folks from using the bathroom of their choice was not about bathrooms, proposed legislation prohibiting transgender youth from sports participation is not about sports. Bills like the ones introduced today not only discriminate against trans youth in ways that compromise their health, social and emotional development, and safety, they also raised a myriad of concerns about privacy.
CDC data shows that 2 percent of high school students identify as transgender. Like their peers, these students have a variety of interests and passions, and they wish that they wish to pursue, including sports participation. And youth sports has shown to develop self-esteem, critical skills, and lifelong friendships, all things that trans youth should benefit from not being discriminated against experiencing.
When code words like “fairness” and “leveling the playing field” are brought forth in these bills, these are dog whistles for discrimination and exclusion.
While sports may be binary, for now, humans are not. We must allow students the respect of sports participation in the gender with which they identify. Protection of emotional health and well-being of students does not stop when the bell rings and classes are over. It carries over to the courts, the fields, the tracks, and bills like this one that are being proposed today place minor children in harm’s way with false claims of inequality.
We’ve learned under four years of ex-President Trump that when Republicans want to stir up their base, they seek forms of bigotry, stoke fear, and perpetuate false narratives about marginalized groups. When you are fed a steady diet of Fox News narratives, wedge issues, and other attacks [become] lazy fast lanes to the support for your cause.
Trans youth matter. Trans lives matter. And yes, transgender participation in sports matter. Thank you.
Snodgrass added in subsequent tweets:
At her presser, Rep. Dittrich, wearing pearls no doubt for clutching, smiled as she pretended this legislation is about anything but codifying bigotry and discrimination, perpetuating false narratives and stoking fear. All this to leverage wedge issues to fire up a Trumpian base.
If these bills do not die a rightful death in committee, they surely will be vetoed by @GovEvers, under whose leadership the Pride flag has flown for the first time in Wisconsin history.
Snodgrass portrayed Dittrich’s sports-protection bill as a partisan jab, but the polls — and social-media comments — show that many Democratic voters favor the protections.
“I am a Wisconsin resident and I support this bill,” tweeted activist Lauren Adams. “Many of us left-leaning women do, because Title IX is NOT a left/right issue! @senator_melissa and @Samba_Madison @RepSambaBaldeh I voted for you and I support this bill. It is not bigotry to have women’s sports.”
GOP legislators have introduced popular bills in more than 20 states to protect girls’ sports.
Deep-pocketed transgender groups, as well as the ACLU and other progressives, are lobbying and litigating against the child-protection bills.
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