Law Passed in Florida Legislature Targets Transgender Student-Athletes
State lawmakers in Florida have passed new restrictions regarding transgender athletes. The law is identical to that which has already been passed in Idaho and many other states. From primary school to college, it prohibits transgender players from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
Similar bills have been adopted in four other states, sparking intense debate. Republican legislators argue that they are necessary to shield female athletes from unfair competition. The GOP-controlled Florida House passed contentious legislation on Wednesday, April 14, prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) placed states like Florida on alert Monday, warning that states who do not treat all student-athletes with respect could lose their eligibility to host potential championship games.
The NCAA Board of Governors said it “firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports.”
One Florida legislator, Dana Trabulsy (R-Fort Pierce), defended her support of the bill. “This particular bill is not about exclusion, and it is not about discrimination. This bill is about biological and scientific differences between men and women,” said Trabulsy.
Rep. Chip LaMarca (R-Lighthouse Point) blasted the NCAA for failing to have fair accommodations for men and women at the Division I basketball championships on Tuesday. He argued that the NCAA has no authority to lecture the Florida Legislature, a stance that has been echoed by other Republican bill supporters in recent weeks. For more context, the NCAA was heavily scrutinized for not providing equal workout (among other) facilities for men and women during their annual March Madness championship tournaments.
Democrats in the Florida legislature have characterized the bill as creating a problem where none previously existed.
“This bill shows not only their lack of humanity but their astounding ignorance about the transgender community, not understanding that trans girls are girls and transgender women are women,” said Gina Duncan, the director of transgender equality at Equality Florida. (h/t The Guardian).
The bill now heads to the desk of Governor Ron DeSantis to be signed into law, though the Republican has not indicated if he will do so as of now.
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