A lawmaker in Idaho is joining legislators in crafting legislation to protect female athletes from having to compete against biological males in school sports.
Republican State Representative Barbara Ehardt told a local news outlet that she will introduce the bill that requires individuals to compete in women’s sports based on their biological sex not their gender identity.
“Boys and men will not be able to take the place of girls and women in sports because it’s not fair. We cannot physically compete against boys and men. The inherent biological, scientific advantages that boys and men have over girls and women, even if they were to take hormones, even if they were to spend a couple of years on estrogen, that’s not going to replace the inherent biological advantages that boys and men have,” Ehardt told EastIdahoNews.com.
The news outlet reported on Ehardt’s bill:
Ehardt says this bill is meant to protect women and girls. However, she said the language of the bill focuses on DNA and chromosomes, meaning that it does not single out biological males. Biological females would be prevented from competing in men’s sports as well, she said.
“Those biological boys, those men, can still compete (in sports), it will just have to be with those who look like them, that have the same large heart and lungs,” Ehardt said, adding that the bill is not about homosexual rights.
“This has nothing to do with an anti-LGBT agenda,” Ehardt said. “This is all about providing the opportunity for girls and women to continue to compete just as our counterparts, boys and men, are able to compete.”
Ehardt’s is also working on another bill from last year’s legislative session that she will re-introduce. The bill would allow parents to decide if their children are enrolled in sex education curriculum.
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