The Scoop

Alabama GOP Governor Signs Law Banning Biological Males From Competing In Girl’s High School Sports

By • April 25, 2021 4:47 pm

Alabama became the latest state to ban biological males from competing against biological females in high school sports after Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill into law last Friday.

The law passed by the Republican governor stated that “no public K-12 school may participate in, sponsor, or provide coaching staff for interscholastic athletic events at which athletes are allowed to participate in competition against athletes who are of a different biological gender, unless the event specifically includes both biological genders.”

Under the new law, the state argued the many differences between biological males and females — which would put women at a disadvantage if allowed to compete with those born in the opposite sex.

“Physical differences between biological males and biological females have long made separate and sex-specific sports teams important so that female athletes can have equal opportunities to compete in sports,” the law stated.

It noted that there are also “physical advantages” for biological males relevant to sports such that “on average, a larger body size with more skeletal muscle mass, a lower percentage of body fat, and greater maximal delivery of anaerobic and aerobic energy than biological females.”

Alabama argued that even at a young age, biological males also typically score higher than biological females on cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and speed and agility. 

“These differences become more pronounced during and after puberty as biological males produce higher levels of testosterone. On average, biological male athletes are bigger, faster, stronger, and more physically powerful than their biological female counterparts. This results in a significant sports performance gap between the sexes,” it added.

Not a leveled playing field

“Studies have shown that the benefits that natural testosterone provides to biological male athletes is not significantly diminished through the use of testosterone suppression. Testosterone suppression in biological males does not result in a level playing field between biological male and biological female athletes.”

The law further explained that because of the physical differences between biological males and biological females, having separate athletic teams based on the athletes’ biological sex reduces the chance of injury to biological female athletes and promotes sex equality.

“It provides opportunities for biological female athletes to compete against their peers rather than against biological male athletes, and allows biological female athletes to compete on a fair playing field for scholarships and other athletic accomplishments,” it added.

In the same way, biological females are also barred from competing in boy’s high school sports “if there is a female team in [the specific] sport.”

The legislation — which was pushed by Republicans — concluded that “a public K-12 school may never allow a biological male to participate on a female team.”

Reports said the Alabama House voted 74-19 for the bill sponsored by GOP state Rep. Scott Stadthagen of Hartselle. Meanwhile,  the Alabama Senate voted 25-5 for the legislation.

“I want to thank Governor Ivey for her leadership and for protecting the rights of Alabama’s female athletes. Standing up for what is right is not always easy, but it is always the right thing to do,” Stadthagen said in an interview.

During Alabama’s Senate debate on the measure, Garlan Gudger of Cullman — a GOP state senator — maintained that it was “unfair for biological males to compete and beat females in high school sports.” 

He noted that the proposal was needed to protect the integrity of female athletic programs.

Earlier last month, Alabama Senate voted  to make giving kids puberty-blockers, hormone therapy, or gender reassignment surgery a felony.

“Senators voted 23-4 to approve the measure, dubbed the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act, sponsored by Republican Senator Shay Shelnutt,” which cited “concerned parents” as instrumental in passing the bill.

“Children aren’t mature enough to make these decisions on surgeries and drugs,” Shelnutt said. “The whole point is to protect kids.”

Last month the Republican Governor of Mississippi, Tate Reeves, also signed a bill to ban transgender athletes from girls or women’s teams.

“If we do not move to protect female sports from biological males who have an unfair physiological advantage, we will eventually no longer have female sports,” GOP state Sen. Angela Hill said when the bill was passed.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem also signed a bill ‘defending women’s sport’s’ which will designate female teams and sports at public schools for students who are biologically female. 

The same efforts are also being pushed in a bunch of other states including North Carolina and Ohio, although Idaho was the first state  to pass a legislation that would restrict biological males from competing with biological females in sports — although it is currently facing a legal challenge.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has earlier defended Democratic President Joe Biden  ’s executive order that has called on schools in the country to have students participate in sports under their gender identity.

Cameron Shizznit


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