A committee in the GOP-led House of Representatives on March 8 approved a bill targeting transgender student-athletes and another measure that purports to give parents more leverage over children’s education, drawing criticism from Democrats who are strongly opposing the legislative proposals.
Before a hearing that day, out gay Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin stood with advocates at the Capitol to condemn the anti-trans sports bill, which bars trans youth from participating in sports in accordance with their gender identity. The bill amounts to a ban because it states that under Title IX, student-athletes would be required to participate in sports in accordance with “a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” Facilities receiving federal funding would get hit with a violation if they allow to allow trans student-athletes to compete in women’s sports.
