Controversy Surrounds Transgender Athletes in Sports Bills Across Multiple States

Trans athletes and LGBTQ+ advocates testified against a bill banning transgender athletes from participating in school sports aligned with their gender identity at the Statehouse in Ohio. The “Save Women’s Sports Act” would bar trans girls from taking part in female athletics and override the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s trans student athlete policy adopted during the 2015-16 school year. The bill allows an athlete to sue for relief or damages if they are “deprived” of an athletic opportunity by a trans girl. The legislation comes as lawmakers also heard the first hearing for House Bill 68, which would bar healthcare professionals from providing gender-affirming treatment to trans and gender non-conforming children in Ohio.