Texas Governor Greg Abbott announces new ban on transgender college athletes

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law Thursday banning transgender college athletes in the state from competing with the gender they identify with, meaning they must compete with the gender listed on their birth certificate.

The new law, which takes effect Sept. 1, expands on a 2021 bill that banned transgender students in public schools from participating in sports that align with their gender identity.

Abbott said the new law, titled the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” “protects young women” in Texas colleges and universities by banning biological males from competing against them in college sports.

But critics have branded the bill a “damaging attack” on the right of transgender Texans to be “embraced, accepted, and able to thrive” in university and college.

The law allows students to sue institutions that allow transgender athletes to compete on teams that align with the gender they identify with.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is blocking Senate Bill 15 after signing it into law during a signing ceremony at the Texas State Capitol on Thursday

Abt said at the signing event on Thursday: “Women’s sport is under threat. Some women are forced to compete against biological men.’

“The Save Women’s Sports Act protects young women in Texas colleges and universities by prohibiting men from competing against them on a team or as individuals in college sports,” Abbott added in a statement.

‘Sport has inspired many women to bold visions and dreams about what they want to achieve. The legacy of women’s sport will be protected for generations to come.

“Women in Texas can rest assured that the integrity of their sport is protected in our state.”

However, the bill would not only prevent trans girls from competing alongside cisgender girls, but would also mandate that trans men compete with cisgender women, even though some may have already started hormone replacement therapy with testosterone.

Cisgender refers to a person who continues to identify as the gender they were born with.

That was the case for Trinity High School wrestler Mack Beggs, now 22. The transgender boy dominated the media and the mat in 2017 and 2018 when he won state titles in girls’ wrestling because the University Interscholastic League banned him from competing with other boys.

While supporters say transgender women have an unfair competitive advantage, opponents say the bills are designed to disgrace transgender people and are rooted in discrimination and politics.

“SB 15 is another damaging attack by anti-LGBTQ lawmakers on the right of transgender Texas people to be embraced, accepted and thrive — especially in Texas’ public universities and colleges,” said Marti Bier of the Texas Freedom Network.

Texas was home to Mack Beggs, a trans boy who won several state championships after being forced to compete against girls

“This bill would blatantly invalidate trans experiences by forcing trans athletes to compete on teams that don’t align with their gender identity,” Bier said.

Abbott’s bill is part of a wave of restrictions on transgender people participating in school or college sports. At least 20 states now have restrictions on transgender athletes at the K-12 or collegiate level, or both.

Last month, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a law banning transgender women from playing on female sports teams in college.

The legislation expanded the state’s existing 2021 ban on transgender athletes on K-12 sports teams to include college teams. Students assigned one gender at birth should not be allowed to play under a different gender identity, even after undergoing hormone treatment.

“Look, if you’re a biological male, you’re not going to compete in women’s and girls’ sports in Alabama. It’s about honesty, plain and simple,” Ivey said in a statement.

Abbott’s new law comes after the governor signed another law earlier this month banning transgender health care, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors, making Texas the largest of the 20 states to have banned gender-affirming care.

Republican lawmakers across the country have promoted similar bills, saying they distrust the consensus among major medical associations endorsing gender-affirming care where needed and even saving lives for trans youth after extensive evaluation.

Texas, the second most populous state in the US, has an estimated 29,800 transgender youth ages 13 to 17, according to the Williams Institute of UCLA.

Texas law makes exceptions for minors who began treatment before June 1 or those who attended 12 or more mental health or psychotherapy sessions over at least six months.

But those patients “will taper off the prescription drug over time,” Law says.

Proponents of such laws say the government should step in against the wishes of parents and doctors because they fear it will cause irreparable damage and say children are incapable of consenting to such decisions.

Groups including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics oppose the legislation.