Save Women's Sports - Bill to Protect Females Introduced in the Senate

[OvaHere]

savewomenssports.com/save-womens-sports-blog/f/breaking-news-bill-to-protect-females-introduced-in-the-senate

BREAKING NEWS: Bill to Protect Females Introduced in the Senate

Five Senators introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to make it a violation of Title IX for a school that receives federal education funds to permit a biological male to participate in a sports program designated for women and girls.

Senator Kelly Loeffler is a former athlete and the co-owner of a WNBA team, the Atlanta Dream. In a press release she stated, "Title IX established a fair and equal chance for women and girls to compete, and sports should be no exception,” said Senator Loeffler.“As someone who learned invaluable life lessons and built confidence playing sports throughout my life, I’m proud to lead this legislation to ensure girls of all ages can enjoy those same opportunities. This commonsense bill protects women and girls by safeguarding fairness and leveling the athletic field that Title IX guarantees.”

“Men and women are biologically different,” said Senator Lee.“That’s just a scientific fact. For the safety of female athletes and for the integrity of women’s sports, we must honor those differences on a fair field of competition.”

“Maintaining the integrity of healthy competition is crucial for the future of women and girls in sports,” said Senator Blackburn.“Schools and universities that allow males to participate in women’s sports defeats the purpose of Title IX.”

“When Title IX was passed and signed into law, the intent was to ensure equal access for men and women in education, including sports,” said Senator Lankford. “Permitting biological males to participate in women’s sports rejects the very spirit of Title IX, which was intended to create an equal playing field for women and girls. This bill upholds and reiterates congressional intent and promotes actual equality for women and girls in sports by respecting the dignity of biological female athletes across the nation.”

“At their best, sports teach our kids fundamental lessons about fairness and integrity in a safe environment—but there’s nothing fair, honest or safe about allowing men to compete in sports leagues designed solely for women,” said Senator Cotton. “This bill will preserve the sports leagues and teams that allow women and girls to excel as athletes. And it will defend the commonsense principle that women’s sports are for women. It’s tragic but unsurprising that such a defense is necessary.”

Save Women's Sports, a non-partisan coalition, applauds the Senators in their effort to champion females. This should not be a partisan or religious issue. Our coalition has varying views outside of this topic but we are all able to agree on one thing, males should not compete in female sports.

We do not have to agree on everything, to come together to Save Women's Sports.

[FireUnderTheHand]

@OvaHere

Most Us repub efforts so far have also worked to force trans men out of men’s sport. That’s because to them this stuff is more about keeping women and men in their proper place than it is about women’s rights per se.

That's probably true but transmen in men's contact sport is still an issue. As is the case with rugby here I don't think it's fair to put the men in a position where there is a huge increased risk they will seriously injure or even kill an opponent. Obviously all contact sport has inherent risks but I think that's a risk that can't be ignored.

I think the vast majority of sports are in sex based boxes for good reasons.

100% Ova, totally agree

[NeedToKnow101]

Brilliant speech, no pussy-footing around, no 'being kind' or 'feelings,' just pure biology and principles of fairness and right to compete.

[NeedToKnow101]

Oh just read all the other comments. Seems it was strategically timed for election reasons. That's a shame.

[FireUnderTheHand]

@NeedToKnow101

Oh just read all the other comments. Seems it was strategically timed for election reasons. That's a shame.

All of it is strategic, that's US politics; it is a fact of life as an American. Our politics are about polarization and demonization through the lens of 'most effective strategy' to get votes/donations/power.

Personally IDGAF when bills are introduced especially simple clearly worded bills like this - it is needed and highly beneficial if it passes (not to mention it will bar Biden from making an executive order or reinstating Obama's guidance in relation to Title IX sport protections).

[quixote9]

The people sponsoring the bill are a rogue's gallery of Republican crooks, hypocrites, and all-around jerks. They're doing it to keep women in their box. They wouldn't know about women's rights if they got bit by them. It's timed to embarrass Democrats and suppress the vote, even if only a bit.

And it's a good bill.

This just slays me about this whole fight. Nobody is out there with feminists trying to do anything for women's rights. But in this case the Repubs have a good bill for the wrong reasons.

So: good! Go for it. The commenter who said it means nothing is wrong. The Repubs can get this passed in a heartbeat because they have a majority. For now. Be nice if it takes away the option to mess with Title IX.

And then they'll jeer at the Dems for being hypocrites and just being a lot of hot air about women's rights.

[CaraDuneRedux]

It's a nightmare for women - they have a straight choice: protect abortion rights, or protect women's sports.

If I were an American Democrat, sadly, despite being gender critical to the core, I'd still have to vote Biden, because (much as I love sport and played a lot) abortion rights affect almost all women.

(I am also deeply suspicious of the American right's motives. This bill looks okay on paper, but I fear the main reason they like it is for its "separate but equal" narrative, which makes sense in sport, but I suspect they would like to expand to other spheres.)

[FWRLurker]

Im not saying trans men should be forced into men’s sports. I’m saying trans men, if they wish, should be allowed to join men’s sport - especially individual competitions. In the absence of an open category, the men’s is, in effect, the open division.

Obviously to protect women’s sports, trans men taking T cannot compete in women’s sports and it’s actually exclusionary to offer no other option.

[Cailleach1]

They'd have to insure themselves, I presume. If they can.

[FWRLurker]

If they can compete against males why can't all women be forced to compete against males?

No Because it’s not symmetric.

The women’s division exists to allow adult human females a chance to compete and win at a high level, despite the disadvantages of their biology. The paralympics does the same for People with disabilities.

The men’s division doesn’t need protecting. In fact women do sometimes choose to compete in men’s divisions, if the sport only exists in the male division, and if they are good enough to be competitive. It’s rare that a woman can compete, but it does happen. Occasionally there’s a female kicker in college American football for Example.
For trans men, who cannot compete with women due to doping, if they are good enough they can compete in the men’s/open division. Usually they will not be, as female biology is going to put them at a disadvantage.

Again this is nothing to do with women’s sport which is protected From males and should remain so.

[FireUnderTheHand]

The Repubs can get this passed in a heartbeat because they have a majority.

Demonstrably untrue assertion. Reps have majority in Senate, Dems have majority in House. Bills require pass in both to become law because our Congress has two distinct bodies within one branch.

Senate political groups:
Republican (53) Democratic (45) Independent (2)

House of Representatives political groups
Democratic (232) Republican (198) Libertarian (1) Vacant (4)

Congress totals: 251 Reps & 277 Dems

Don't spread false info about our Congress when it easily obtained via our .gov sites please and thank you.

[turnitonagain]

I was going to say the same Fire not only do the Republicans not have the House I saw some analysis saying they could even lose the Senate. I’d even say they’ve proposed this bill fully knowing there’s no chance of it passing just to get buzz in the right wing press about how they’re defending women.

[FireUnderTheHand]

@turnitonagain

I was going to say the same Fire not only do the Republicans not have the House I saw some analysis saying they could even lose the Senate. I’d even say they’ve proposed this bill fully knowing there’s no chance of it passing just to get buzz in the right wing press about how they’re defending women.

That could be totally accurate.

I stand by my statement: "Our politics are about polarization and demonization through the lens of 'most effective strategy' to get votes/donations/power."

And it may not pass but it just might - who knows at this point? This country has gone completely insane and being of sane mind I have zero idea what the insanity will bring (I do have many thoughts on the possibilities).

[highame]

If the Democrats voted against a bill protecting women in sports, how would that be viewed in the country.

When politics becomes polarized, the sane minded go undercover and then come out when they vote. That's why lots of parties are blind sided. What do ordinary American women and parents think about this? I wonder if their views are stronger than on abortion rights? From here it looks like there are lots of very conservative views on abortion.
UK here, interested to know

[Delphinium20]

From the US...
Rep (GOP) know exactly what they are doing sponsoring this bill. If Dems don't vote for it, there will be plenty of democrat leaning constituents who have NOT been paying any attention to TWAW and don't know the terminology of terf, cis, etc. that would stand up and say, to Dems "WTH...why won't you vote for this? It's so obviously protects females." The Dems are screwed on the other end if they DO vote for it because the woke leftists who just love to try and prove that all the Dems are no better than the GOP because they rejected Bernie Sanders will scream "BIGOTS! TRANSPHOBIA" as loud as possible. The GOP did this bill on purpose to drive a wedge in the DEM party AND to look like they give a shit about women and girls (which they just don't, never have). It's ugly politics and it's a shame, because it's a good bill and is focused squarely on fair play for women and girls in sports and it's not transphobic at all...it's in response to the biological facts of sex differences in athletics.
People who vote against abortion are extremely rigid and unlikely to have any political views that are stronger than anti-abortion...historically, it's the biggest wedge that drove women who agreed on many other things (maternity leave, protections of children, poverty issues, etc.) into the arms of the evil GOP who don't give a damn about any oppressed groups...they manipulate anti-abortion (single issue voters) women. Everyone knows the GOP men are more than happy for their daughters and mistresses to get abortions if they need them.

It's the moderate women and men who would support the idea of this bill because Americans care deeply about sports and fairness of sports and college is highly dependent on sport scholarships...but if enough of the left screams 'BIGOT!' people could get scared and not want to support it publicly

[GingerScallop]

@turnitonagain

So a quick Google tells me that the NCAA which is the body that oversees university sports in the US bars male-to-female trans athletes unless they have taken testosterone blockers for at least one year.

generalssports.com/sports/2019/9/10/information-Inside-Athletics-sahandbook-Transgender.aspx

So what is the point of this bill exactly? It’s just red meat to the base.

Semenya has been denied participation regardless of taking tester one blockers. So apparently they don't matter. It will be interesting to see how transwomen's participation in female sports will be defended when a black African woman has been denied participation on this premise

[GingerScallop]

@Delphinium20

From the US...
Rep (GOP) know exactly what they are doing sponsoring this bill. If Dems don't vote for it, there will be plenty of democrat leaning constituents who have NOT been paying any attention to TWAW and don't know the terminology of terf, cis, etc. that would stand up and say, to Dems "WTH...why won't you vote for this? It's so obviously protects females." The Dems are screwed on the other end if they DO vote for it because the woke leftists who just love to try and prove that all the Dems are no better than the GOP because they rejected Bernie Sanders will scream "BIGOTS! TRANSPHOBIA" as loud as possible. The GOP did this bill on purpose to drive a wedge in the DEM party AND to look like they give a shit about women and girls (which they just don't, never have). It's ugly politics and it's a shame, because it's a good bill and is focused squarely on fair play for women and girls in sports and it's not transphobic at all...it's in response to the biological facts of sex differences in athletics.
People who vote against abortion are extremely rigid and unlikely to have any political views that are stronger than anti-abortion...historically, it's the biggest wedge that drove women who agreed on many other things (maternity leave, protections of children, poverty issues, etc.) into the arms of the evil GOP who don't give a damn about any oppressed groups...they manipulate anti-abortion (single issue voters) women. Everyone knows the GOP men are more than happy for their daughters and mistresses to get abortions if they need them.

It's the moderate women and men who would support the idea of this bill because Americans care deeply about sports and fairness of sports and college is highly dependent on sport scholarships...but if enough of the left screams 'BIGOT!' people could get scared and not want to support it publicly

Interesting take. I find US politics -each party from Repubs, Dems, to Sander's crew/socialist - quite depressing frankly. Won't even bother to explain my beef with Repubs. Dems appear be driven by social media and celebrity/elite liberals. Arrrgghhh I need a party that represents the poor and marginalised, and women and minorities all the time not just 18 months before election or just after a celebrity tweet or a high profile protest or killing

[Antibles]

@FWRLurker

Im not saying trans men should be forced into men’s sports. I’m saying trans men, if they wish, should be allowed to join men’s sport - especially individual competitions. In the absence of an open category, the men’s is, in effect, the open division.

Obviously to protect women’s sports, trans men taking T cannot compete in women’s sports and it’s actually exclusionary to offer no other option.

I see what you're saying about 'Open' categories but I think we're all agreed that there shouldn't be open categories for contact sports due to the physical harm that could occur.

I don't think having rigidly sex-based categories (ie a 'males' category) is exclusionary. I think a trans man is excluding themselves by adopting an identity completely at odds with reality. There is a category there for them but they are refusing to use it.

I would also be cautious about the ajar door nature of letting a natal female into an effectively male category, whether or not it's oficially desgnated male or open. Transwomen will just keep on carping that it's unfair that they don't get the same treatment, they can't help being bigger etc.

Again, a crucial issue here is whether one actually believes a trans brain is a real thing or not and whether it needs to be catered to in any way in sport deletes snappier version of this sentence

[Antibles]

Oh and I meant to add that if a trans man did want to stay in the female category then obviously doping rules apply. If gender essence is all in the head, testosterone is not a necessary part of being a trans man. If they choose to use it, they are making a choice between T and competitive sport, like every other human being sometimes has to make choices in life that exclude other options.

[quixote9]

Oops. Sorry. I was wrong upthread. This bill has not passed through the House yet, it's only in the Senate, so, indeed, it's not going anywhere. Pure election hot air.

And the Dems have already started ballyhooing about how ZOMG!! 11!! awful this bill is for discriminating against women. No quotation marks around the word "women" either.

All I can say is places like mumsnet and the UK better keep leading the charge for evidence-based reasoning on this topic. Nobody else is. You're our only hope.

[FWRLurker]

i see what you're saying about 'Open' categories but I think we're all agreed that there shouldn't be open categories for contact sports due to the physical harm that could occur.

Perhaps. I would need to look at the science here to make a judgement. For example the same studies which show trans women do not lose appreciable strength or muscle mass During estrogen treatment do on the other hand seem to show that trans men on T gain substantial strength/muscle mass. That is, the effect of testosterone / androginization mostly seems to be one-way (going through a male like puberty causes irreversible gain in muscle mass etc, and if it happens during puberty, also Changes in traits like skeletal morphology and height. Estrogen / Tblocking is not nearly as impactful. It’s not symmetrical is what I’m saying, nor should we assume it would Be.

I certainly think that any sport which allows women to compete in the men’s division If they choose should also be open to Trans men. Would be interesting to see how many do this.

i would also be cautious about the ajar door nature of letting a natal female into an effectively male category, whether or not it's oficially desgnated male or open. Transwomen will just keep on carping that it's unfair

I see what you’re saying but this sort of response also allows feminists to point out the reality that, yeah, it’s not fair and never has been for women. We have always been at a disadvantage due to our biology, while male people have always used theirs against us. That’s why title 9 exists in the first place.

Of course misogynists will ignore this argument because they want to abuse women (“equal rights equal fights”) and don’t think that women deserve any protected spaces. But I think it does force them to show their true colors, and people are watching.

[andyoldlabour]

turnitonagain

Caster Semenya had an unbroken 35 successive wins at 800m, Olympic gold medals and a 600m World record. CS has an intersex condition - 46 XY DSD. Women have XX chromosomes.
Here are some examples of transwomen competing in women's events.

Hanna Mouncey
www.outsports.com/2020/8/28/21402020/hannah-mouncey-trans-athlete-handball-aflw-locker-room-five-rings-podcast

Rachel McKinnon
www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/transgender-athlete-rachel-mckinnon-defends-track-world-title-440876

Tiffany Abreu
www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/world/americas/brazil-transgender-volleyball-tifanny-abreu.html

Maxine Blythin
www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11870243/maxine-blythin-transgender-cricketer-reveals-birth-condition