Title IX Transgender Sports Ban Passes House But Will Not Become Law

House Republicans are playing political theater in an attempt to publicly insult and humiliate transgender people nationwide. In a 219-203 vote on April 20, House Republicans passed H.R. 734 (118), which would keep transgender women from being able to play on women’s sports teams, Politico reports. The bill has no chance of becoming law but serves to further demonize transgender people. Transgender women’s right to play in sports has been a popular wedge issue for Republicans because, while many support transgender people, opinions become more varied when it comes specifically to transgender women competing against cisgender women. But the fact remains that transgender women are women and therefore belong in women’s sports.

Politico goes on to say that the bill would specifically rewrite Title IX to strictly define sex as biological sex at birth. Transgender students would be condescendingly permitted to train with teams designated for women or girls, but wouldn’t be allowed to enter competitions. The bill won’t become law, as the Democrat-controlled Senate will likely defeat the bill. Even if it did manage to pass the Senate, President Joe Biden has promised to veto it.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) added an amendment that would direct the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on “the adverse psychological, developmental, participatory, and sociological results to girls.” The study would also examine the “hostile environment creation, sexual assault, and sexual harassment” from transgender women being allowed to play on women’s teams. It’s likely that when this study refers to “sociological results to girls,” it’s excluding transgender girls from that statement. 

“Republicans are following the science,” Mace claimed falsely while speaking on the floor of the House regarding the bill. “…And as a woman who is pro-LGBTQ, I don’t care how you dress; I don’t care what pronoun you take; I don’t care if you change your gender, but we ought to protect biological women and girls and their athletics and their achievements.”

In a statement, Lois Frankel, Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair, denounced the bill and called out Republicans. “We will not let anti-LGBTQI+ Republicans—who have refused to work with us on addressing real gender equity issues—use ‘protecting women’ as an excuse to attack trans youth. When my Republican colleagues want to join with us to address the actual pressing issues impacting girls’ and women’s sports, I stand ready to work with them.”

“Today’s passage of HR 734 is shameful and puts politics over the wellbeing of kids,” says Brian K. Bond, executive director, PFLAG National, in a statement. “At a time when dozens of states are introducing and passing legislation that harm our most vulnerable youth—more than 500 bills to date and counting—we need lawmakers in Washington to do their job and make laws that reduce harm to kids and families in this country. To our legislators, we say: PFLAG families with transgender and nonbinary kids are your relatives and neighbors, your colleagues and friends, your constituents. We will continue leading with love to ensure that all kids are safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved so that they can live their best and fullest authentic lives.” 

Forty athletes signed a letter, published by Athlete Ally, opposing H.R. 734. Those 40 athletes included Olympic and professional soccer player Megan Rapinoe and Olympic and professional basketball player Sue Bird. “We, the undersigned athletes, believe that every child deserves to have their life changed for the better by being able to participate in the sport that they love… Our deepest hope is that transgender and intersex kids will never have to feel the isolation, exclusion, and othering that H.R. 734 is seeking to enshrine into law.”