Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 25 into law on Monday to prohibit biological men who consider themselves “transgender women” from competing against biological female athletes in elementary and secondary schools in the state.
Athletes will now compete based on the biological sex on their birth certificate rather than their “gender identity,” a euphemism used by the LGBT movement that climate sex is not connected to biology.
Sports Illustrated reported on the new law, with goes into effect on January 18:
The bill, which was authored by Republican state representative Valerie Swanson, requires athletes to participate on teams that are consistent with the sex listed on their birth certificates. Swanson has asserted that the bill aims to uphold Title IX and secure fairness in girls’ sports. Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in sports on the basis of sex.
“It’s so very, very important that we protect everything that women have gained in the last 50 years,” Swanson said.
“We need a statewide level playing field,” Swanson said on the House floor earlier this month. “It’s very important that we, who got elected to be here, protect our girls.”
(AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)
Abbott’s decision follows similar actions taken by governors in other states, including Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
The left is predictably opposing the law, including the discredited American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is pushing for the more than 1,000 school districts in the state to challenge the law in the courts.
NBC reported the law would also prevent changing one’s sex on their birth certificate.
Critics of the law say it discriminates against transgender children and teens and do not acknowledge that TitleXI has protected women from discrimination on the sporting field and has resulted in women’s elite sports programs across the country.
In a statement, Monday on Twitter, Equality Texas said that if Texans “want to protect children, the goal shouldn’t be to prevent trans kids from participating in sports, but to give all kids the freedom to make friends and play without fearing the kind of discrimination many older trans people face on a daily basis.”
Follow Penny Starr on Twitter or send news tips to pstarr@breitbart.com.
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