PA Bill Would Ban Transgender Girls From Playing HS Girls Sports

HARRISBURG, PA — As the national debate over the issue continues and reaches a fever pitch in U.S. Congress this week, Pennsylvania Republicans have once again introduced a bill that would ban transgender girls who were born as biological boys from competing in high school girls sports.

It's an updated version of the same bill that was passed by both the Republican Senate and Republican House in the last legislative session, before being vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf. The four Republican women co-sponsoring the legislation say their goal is to protect athletic opportunities for women and girls.

"Allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports reverses nearly 50 years of advancement for women," State Reps. Barbara Gleim (R-Cumberland), Martina A. White (R-Philadelphia), Dawn W. Keefer (R-York), and Stephanie Borowicz (R-Union) wrote in a co-sponsorship memorandum. "Having separate biologically-specific teams, which Title IX protects, furthers efforts to promote women’s equality.

The bill was derided by ACLU of Pennsylvania at the time of its passage last year as an erosion of civil rights that would be tossed by the courts even it was passed into law. Such legislation would have "detrimental and potentially devastating effects on the health of young trans Pennsylvanians," ACLU said.

Gov. Wolf implied that proposing such bills and bringing that sort of debate into the House chamber was having a deletrious effect on society.

"The bill denies opportunities to transgender youth, which would have a devastating impact on a vulnerable population already at greater risk of bullying and depression," Gov. Wolf wrote in a letter to the general assembly announcing his veto. "The harmful impact of politicizing transgender and other LGBTQ+ issues is evident by increasing rates of suicidal thoughts among young people."

The Republican bill cites "inherent differences" between men and women, ranging from horomones to physiological differences. They argue that the status quo is unfair to women and girls who cannot "obtain recognition and accolades, college scholarships, and the numerous other long-term benefits that flow from success in athletic endeavors."

The GOP cites nearly 50 other state representatives who signed on as co-sponsors of the bill from the 2021-22 session. It would not appear the Republicans are in any better shape to pass such legislation in 2022-23, as Democrats now hold a one-vote majority in the House, and new Gov. Josh Shapiro was also an outspoken critic of last year's bill.