Students must play for teams with comparable birth sexes under a new Texas law
- Capitol Times
- Oct 26, 2021
- 1 min read
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a law that prohibiting student-athletes from joining teams that are not based on their birth certificate's sex.
Most interscholastic sporting teams in Texas are prohibited from allowing kids to compete in contests "that are designated for the biological sex opposite to the student's biological sex as appropriately represented on" their certified birth certificate under Texas House Bill 25.
One of the measure's authors, state Rep. Valoree Swanson, stated during a House session earlier this month that the law "protects girls' safety and their right to equal access to sports activities."
“Transgender and nonbinary youth are already at higher risk for poor mental health and suicide because of bullying, discrimination, and rejection. This misguided legislation will only make matters worse,” Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project said in a statement.
The legislation was approved by the state House with a vote of 76–61 and the state Senate with a vote of 19–12. Abbott, a Republican, had no comment on the law, which is the tenth of its kind to be approved in the United States, on Monday.
26 Oct 2021
