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Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Files Bill Banning Biological Males In Women’s Sports

By • December 11, 2020 7:21 pm

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii is pushing forward a proposal that would ban biological males from competing with girls in sports in a move that goes against the legislation earlier passed by her fellow House Democrats barring discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity — and extending federal anti-discrimination protections to LGBTQ Americans.

Gabbard introduced the “Protect Women’s Sports Act,” together with Oklahoma Rep. Markwayne Mullin which seeks to protect “the sex-based intention of Title IX” on civil rights protections to girls and women “by reaffirming the biological sex-based distinctions between men and women in athletics.”

“Since its creation, Title IX has been confronted by various challenges, often resulting in nuanced or situational solutions to the circumstances. This has included considering the fairness of an individual of one sex to play on a team designated for another sex when no such team is available to the individual, such as women’s field hockey or men’s football,” Gabbard and Mullin wrote.

“This bill protects the sex-based intention of Title IX protections by reaffirming the biological sex-based distinctions between men and women in athletics.”

Title IX of 1972

Under the proposal, organizations which allow biological males to compete against females, will be banned from receiving federal funding.

“Given the average difference in abilities conferred by biological sex, this bill would clarify Title IX protections for female athletes is based on biological sex,” the Democratic lawmakers added.

Title IX is a federal civil rights law passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. The law protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance.

Gabbard, a former Democratic presidential candidate and military combat veteran noted that the provision of “equal opportunity for women and girls in high school and college sports” of Title IX is “being weakened” by allowing boys and men to compete with them in sports  — as she emphasized “the general biological distinction between men and women athletes based on sex.”

The Protect Women’s Sports Act, she noted, will “ensure women and girls in sports have the opportunity to compete and excel on a level playing field.”

Mullin argued that Title IX was designed to give women and girls an equal chance to succeed — including in sports.

“Allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports diminishes that equality and takes away from the original intent of Title IX. As the father of three girls involved in athletics, I want them to be able to compete on a level playing field. I am proud to lead this bill that will safeguard the integrity of women’s sports and ensure female athletes can compete fairly,” the lawmaker from Oklahoma said.

Backlash from progressives

Following the announcement of the bill, left-leaning political figures and media personalities slammed the Hawaii lawmaker and tagged the measure as “anti-transgender” and “transphobic.”

“Tulsi Gabbard has introduced legislation that would bar federal funding to schools that allow transgender girls, women & non-binary people to compete on sports teams consistent w/ their gender identity. This is “blatantly transphobic” and unacceptable,” one comment said.

“Tulsi Gabbard introduces anti-transgender bill after claiming to be LGBTQ-friendly,” said John Cooper, former National Finance Chair of Draft Biden 2016 and also Obama’s Long Island Campaign Chair.

“@TulsiGabbard joins a long line of transphobic legislators and advocates who have tried to use Title IX to advance gender discrimination,” another one said.

“DESPICABLE!!!! Hawaii Democrat Tulsi Gabbard has drafted a House bill that would bar schools from receiving federal funds if they allow transgender girls and women to compete in women’s sports,” commented another.

Equality Act earlier passed by House

Last year the Democrat-controlled House passed the “Equality Act” which would “prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment, credit, and federally funded programs, among other areas.”

Every House Democrat present then, voted for the bill, blocking efforts by Republicans to stop the measure from being passed arguing that it would affect sports — and put biological women at a disadvantage as it means allowing biological males who identify as “transgender”, to compete with females in sports.

Florida Rep. Greg Steube said then that the proposal will “inhibit competitiveness” in women’s sports and women’s eligibility to qualify for athletic-related scholarships.

“A sports team couldn’t treat a transgender woman differently from a woman who is not transgender on the ground that the former is male-bodied,” Steube said on the House floor. “Yet, the reality is [when] putting male and female bodied athletes together in open sport … females lose,” the Republican lawmaker said then.

Steeve Strange

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