Tennessee Bill Would Force Schools To Discriminate Against Trans Athletes
A Tennessee bill introduced by state Rep. Bruce Griffey would not allow trans students to participate in sports teams aligned with their gender identity. Under the bill a trans girl will not be allowed to play in a “girls’ team”, and a trans boy would not be allowed to play on a “boys’ team”. The bill would penalise any elementary or secondary schools that don’t follow the mandate and would make it “immediately ineligible to continue to receive public funds of any type from this state or a local government,” according to the ‘American Independent’.
According to the bill, schools need to“ensure that student athletes participate in school-sanctioned sports based on the student's biological sex as indicated by the athlete's original birth certificate issued at birth.”
Griffey, say the bill is not meant to punish or discriminate but is about fair competitions. “There's no ill will intended toward anyone regarding this legislation.
"What it's simply trying to do is, I think science and experience and just society. We all know that traditionally males generally have bigger hearts, bigger upper body strength, and that can give them a genetic advantage when competing against women in a number of sports.”
LGBT+ advocates have spoken against the bill. Chris Sanders, executive director with the Tennessee Equality Project, said that “some members of the General Assembly have not made an effort to understand that trans youth are a part of our school population and we need to serve and protect them like all students.”
Sanders called the measure one of the “2020 slate of hate bills,” driven by “ignorance, hate and discrimination.
It is insulting to trans youth, it is an attack on them; their state government should be serving them and not seeking ways to marginalize them further,” he said.
Read related myGwork articles here:
Canada To Allow Trans Student Athletes to Compete on Teams Aligning with Gender Identity
Gabby Logan Says Women’s Sports Need to Be “Protected” From Trans Athletes
Trans Woman Wins the 2018 UCI Masters Track Cycling World Championships
USA Powerlifting to Continue Ban on Trans Athletes
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