The U.S. House has passed a bill banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s school sports. The measure, which passed 218-206, seeks to stop trans students from playing in sports teams that align with their gender identity.
This vote reflects a growing trend of states banning trans athletes from K-12 and college sports. It’s part of a wider GOP push to introduce anti-trans laws. The bill follows through on promises from former President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed to ban trans youth from participating in school sports during his campaign.
While almost all Democrats in the House opposed the measure, two Texas Democrats, Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, voted in favor. Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina voted “present.”
The bill’s details
Florida GOP Rep. Greg Steube introduced the legislation. A similar bill passed the House in the previous Congress but failed in the Senate. With Republicans now in control of both chambers, the bill has a better chance of success.
The bill seeks to amend Title IX, a law that prevents sex-based discrimination in schools receiving federal funding. It would define “sex” as based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth. However, the bill doesn’t specify how the ban would be enforced, a key concern for Democrats.
Title IX has been a cornerstone of civil rights law, but recent updates under the Biden administration aimed to increase protections for LGBTQ+ students. However, a federal judge in Kentucky recently overturned the Biden administration’s rule nationwide, causing confusion and uncertainty across the country.
With Republicans in charge of Congress and Trump returning to the White House, the GOP is in a stronger position to pass such laws. Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville reintroduced a similar measure in the Senate last week, already backed by 35 Senate Republicans.
Reactions to the Vote
After the vote, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated the outcome, calling it “a great day for women in America.” He said the House had once again upheld “common sense.”
Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer, also supported the bill. She argued that it would prevent male athletes from taking opportunities and trophies from women.
Gaines, a vocal critic of trans athletes competing in women’s sports, said the bill brought the country closer to protecting women’s sports from what she described as unfair competition.
But Democrats and civil rights groups strongly opposed the measure. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat from Oregon, argued the bill would “empower child predators” and violate privacy. She raised concerns about how the law would be enforced, questioning its fairness and its “one-size-fits-all” approach.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with over 400 other civil rights organizations, condemned the bill, calling it discriminatory. They argued that the bill aims to exclude transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals from school sports rather than addressing the real needs of women athletes.
What’s next?
As the GOP pushes for similar laws at the federal level, the battle over transgender rights in sports is far from over. The bill now moves to the Senate, where it faces a higher hurdle to overcome the filibuster. If the GOP can secure 60 votes, the bill could pass, setting the stage for another clash over transgender rights in America.
The Department of Education has not yet commented on the bill, but the push for this ban signals a heated national debate over how to balance fairness in sports and the rights of transgender youth. With both sides digging in, it seems this fight is just getting started.
