The House of Representatives has passed the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” a controversial bill that seeks to amend Title IX protections and ensure only those assigned female at birth can compete in women’s and girls’ athletics. The bill passed on Tuesday with a vote of 218-206-1, marking a significant victory for the House GOP.
The legislation, spearheaded by Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.), aims to restrict participation in women’s sports to individuals based on their “reproductive” biology and genetics at birth. If enacted, the law would prohibit anyone assigned male at birth from competing in female athletic programs, a provision which critics argue could discriminate against transgender athletes.
The bill received limited support from Democrats, with two voting in favor—Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez—while Rep. Don Davis voted present. The narrow support led Republicans to tout the vote as bipartisan, though the bill’s divisive nature has sparked fierce opposition, particularly from House Democratic leaders.
Title IX, a landmark federal law passed in 1972, prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs, including athletics, at institutions that receive federal funding. Advocates for the bill argue that its passage is necessary to safeguard the integrity of women’s sports. Rep. Steube stated, “Men have no place in women’s sports,” further emphasizing that Republicans are fulfilling a promise to protect women’s athletic opportunities.
However, the bill’s critics—including House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar—contend that it jeopardizes women’s participation in sports at all levels, from elementary school to the Olympics. Aguilar called it a “blanket” ban that would impact girls across the age spectrum, from young children playing recreational sports to elite athletes competing at the highest levels.
Opponents of the bill argue that it is part of a broader GOP agenda against transgender rights, particularly in the realm of athletics. While transgender athletes make up a small fraction of participants in NCAA sports—less than 1%, according to NCAA President Charlie Baker—advocates for the bill maintain that allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports creates an unfair advantage.
Riley Gaines, a 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer and prominent advocate for women’s sports, vocally defended the bill. At a post-vote press conference, she criticized Democratic opposition, saying, “This bill is about ensuring the fairness of women’s sports. To say that it’s a waste of time is to say that girls like me are a waste of time.”
Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon denounced the bill as the “GOP Child Predator Empowerment Act,” arguing that it would force women and girls to “prove their gender” in ways that could be harmful and invasive.
However, critics—including Keri Rodrigues, President of the National Parents Union—question why the GOP is prioritizing this issue over more pressing educational concerns like literacy and academic performance. “This is a distraction from real issues affecting students in the classroom,” Rodrigues said, calling the GOP’s focus on transgender participation in sports “baffling.”
The bill now faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where the Republican majority is slim and support for such measures remains divided. If the bill passes in the Senate, it could be signed into law by President Donald Trump upon his return to office.
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