"Controversial Testimonies and Claims Surround Transgender Athletes in Women's Sports"
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) claimed during a House Oversight Subcommittee hearing that if biological men are barred from women's sports, "all" underage women will face "genital examinations." AOC argued that proposals seeking to marginalize transgender Americans could lead to invasive examinations of women's genitals, potentially based on someone's disbelief of their stated gender. She also criticized the lack of consideration for the biology and privacy consequences for all women, trans or cisgendered. This claim comes after a controversial provision in an Ohio state Senate proposal, which required "internal and external" exams to confirm a student-athlete's gender, was removed. The provision was replaced with a requirement to present the participant's original birth certificate. The hearing also saw clashes between women's sports advocate Riley Gaines and Rep. Summer Lee, who called the testimonies of those advocating for restrictions on women's sports "transphobic."