Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday signed a law that restricts transgender students from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.
Texas is the eighth state — and the largest — to pass legislation this year addressing transgender athletes’ access to sports. South Dakota also enacted restrictions, but did so through executive order. Idaho passed similar legislation in 2020, but it has since been blocked in federal court.
The Texas law, known as HB 25, passed in the state’s third special session. It allows student-athletes to participate only in the interscholastic sports that correspond with the sex listed on their “official birth certificate,” which is defined as the document issued “at or near the time of the student’s birth.”
A student-assigned female at birth may only participate in boys’ sports if a corresponding girls’ sport is not available, such as football and baseball.
Texas joins Alabama in not just affecting transgender girls’ ability to participate in girls’ sports, but also transgender boys’ ability to participate in boys’ sports.
“My heart is breaking all over again for our communities in Texas who have been tirelessly and fiercely fighting anti-transgender legislation session after session,” said Anne Lieberman, director of policy and programs at Athlete Ally. “HB 25 is yet another callous example of lawmakers passing legislation that bullies and targets kids who just want to play sports with their friends.”
The existing University Interscholastic League policy requires all students participating in high school sports to do so in accordance with the sex listed on their birth certificates, including amended birth certificates. The new law, which goes into effect on Jan. 18, 2022, will override the UIL policy.
Birth certificates may be amended in Texas, but HB 25 bars the UIL from accepting amended ones. Bill author Valoree Swanson called the change necessary in her testimony on the legislation because of an increase in…
Source : espn
