Texas House Bill 25 Concerning Transgender Sports Passes

After hours of heated debate last Thursday, Oct 14th, House Bill 25, requiring public school students to compete in interscholastic athletic competitions based on biological sex, passed in the House by a 76-54 vote. The Texas Senate passed it the next day!

Supporters of House Bill 25, also called “The Save Women’s Sports Bill,” released a statement saying:

“Texans have spoken and the legislators have heard their constituents. The House passed the Save Women’s Sports bill today. We are happy to finally see this day come after all of our hard work and continued efforts to protect girls. We care about Texas girls and we are ready to watch this bill cross the finish line in the Senate. Girls will be protected and able to freely play sports without fear of boys stealing their athletic opportunities in Texas.”

Rep. Valoree Swanson, Republican from Spring,TX and other Republicans insisted that the goal was to protect girls sports.

Representative Swanson said...."I'm excited that we have the opportunity today to stand up for our daughters, our granddaughters and all our Texas girls," Swanson said, adding that HB 25 seeks to protect competitive fairness and safety for girls who might otherwise be forced to compete against "biological males" who are generally bigger, faster and stronger.

Those who oppose House Bill 25, also called “Anti-Trans Youth Sports Bill,” fired back with statements like the one released by Mary Elizabeth Castle, Senior Policy Advisor for Texas Values saying:

“Texas lawmakers voted today to deliberately discriminate against transgender children. Excluding transgender students from participating in sports with their peers violates the Constitution and puts already vulnerable youth at serious risk of mental and emotional harm."

Democrats forcefully, attacked House Bill 25 as a dangerous foray into discrimination that seeks to address a nonexistent problem — sacrificing already vulnerable transgender youths to foment a culture war for political gain.

"Where is this coming from?" asked state Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston. "Because we put on the record that there is not one case — not one case — of a trans girl taking a competitive spot from a female student in Texas."

After passing in the House on Thursday, House Bill 25 then advanced to the Senate the next day where moving quickly, the Texas Senate approved the legislation Friday night that would require transgender students to play public school sports according to the "biological sex" listed on their birth certificate. With a signature from Gov. Abbott House Bill 25 will be signed into law.

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