Minnesota congresswoman Angie Craig claimed it’s ‘appalling’ not to let trans women join female sports teams

A Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota blocked two separate efforts to ban transgender women from women’s sports, calling such moves “bigoted” and “appalling.”

Angie Craig is currently seeking her fourth term in Congress, where she represents Minnesota’s Second District – a large area that includes much of the southern metro area.

In 2020, former Republican Rep. Tulsi Gabbard proposed a new piece of legislation known as the “Protect Women’s Sports Act of 2020.”

If passed, the law would have effectively prevented schools that receive federal funds from allowing transgender women to participate in female athletics.

Craig is currently seeking her fourth term in Congress, where she represents Minnesota’s Second District

However, just one day after the bill was introduced, Congressman Craig condemned it as “bigoted” and “terrible,” and criticized the measure as “outrageous.”

In a statement, she said: “Queer and transgender women must stand together in the face of intolerance.

“I’m proud to do this today by strongly denouncing this bigoted and hateful legislation, which is harmful not only to transgender women but also to the LGBTQ community as a whole.”

Although the bill failed to advance in Congress, lawmakers later introduced similar legislation that received broader approval.

Republicans in Congress proposed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in April 2023.

Lia Thomas, a swimmer, was the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship

“I’m proud to do this today by strongly denouncing this bigoted and hateful legislation,” Craig said.

Like its predecessor, the legislation would have prevented schools that receive federal funds from allowing transgender women into women’s sports.

The bill was then put to a vote and passed along party lines by a margin of 219 to 203 votes.

Congressman Craig attempted to defeat the bill and voted against it.

On Wednesday, Joe Teirab, Craig’s Republican opponent for the upcoming elections, tried to create a stark contrast between himself and the incumbent president.

Teirab wrote on X.com: ‘Men should not compete against women in sports. Common sense, right?

‘It’s a simple matter of fairness and safety, and this new UN report shows that hundreds of women around the world have lost medals to biological men.’

The Republican challenger then tried to use Craig’s own words against her.

Trans high school runner Veronica Garcia won the girls 400m race in the 2A division at the WIAA State Championship Meet in Tacoma, Washington, a full second ahead of her female rival

On Wednesday, Joe Teirab, Craig’s Republican opponent for the upcoming election, tried to create a stark contrast between himself and the incumbent president.

“But @AngieCraigMN voted against the Protect Women’s Sports Act, calling the effort “transphobic,” “bigoted,” and “hateful.”

“So to the vast majority of Americans and Minnesotans who believe men should not compete against women in sports, you @AngieCraigMN call them transphobic, bigoted and hateful?”

Teirab is far from the only one who believes that transgender women should not participate in women’s sports.

In August, a group of female college swimmers testified before the Georgia Senate about their negative experiences competing against a transgender athlete. They also revealed that they had to share a dressing room with them.

Payton McNabb, a female high school volleyball player, has also spoken out about the risks transgender athletes pose to women and girls.

Payton McNabb, a female high school volleyball player, has also spoken out about the risks transgender athletes pose to women and girls

In 2022, McNabb suffered a traumatic brain injury and partial paralysis after a transgender competitor jabbed a ball into her head

In 2022, McNabb suffered a traumatic brain injury and partial paralysis after a transgender competitor jabbed a ball into her head.

She was an outspoken supporter of the American Powerlifting Association in its efforts to preserve gender-specific competitions before the Minnesota Supreme Court. McNabb has used her experience as a cautionary tale.

“I became partially paralyzed when a man, who identified himself as a woman, jabbed the ball at my head,” she said in a recent press release, shortly after filing an amicus brief with the court.

‘Women simply cannot prepare themselves for such a playing environment. It cannot be that the law requires us to accept that as the price of playing women’s sport.”

DailyMail.com has reached out to Congressman Craig for comment.