ACTION ALERT: Urge your Senators to vote against the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act

THE ISSUE:

The “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act” (H.R. 28, Rep. W. Gregory Steube – R-FL ) has already passed the House of Representatives (218 – 206) and is now facing a Senate vote. This Act however does not work towards the protection of women and girls in sports, but instead endangers and subjects them to an invasion of privacy, intimate and dangerous searches, sexual harassment, and abuse. This bill prohibits school athletic programs from allowing trans women, or individuals not assigned female at birth, to participate in school athletic programs. This endangers all players on women and girls’ sports teams no matter their age, sport, or level of competition.

WHY IT MATTERS:

Many representatives opposed to the cruel measure have said it opens the door to intrusive genital examinations of young girls, creating an unsafe and sexually intrusive environment for children. The threatening enforcement of these bans leads to invasive questioning, medical testing, harassment, and violence against any girl or woman athlete who is perceived as “too masculine” or “too skilled” at their respective sport to be a “real” woman. Over the past few years, multiple cis-gendered and assigned female at birth students and professional athletes have been questioned and subjected to harassment, bullying, and threats of violence based on their athletic prowess or their nonconformity with pushed female gender roles. This cruel Act targets all children and endangers both cis-gendered girls, and trans children attempting to find safe and accepting places in school. At the root of this bill are sexist stereotypes equating femininity with being unathletic, weaker, and slower, pushing women into feminine and stereotypical roles to prove their gender identity. These are stereotypes women have been fighting against for generations and will not be dismantled through hateful legislation.

STATUS:

The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act has recently passed the House and will soon be heard in the Senate. H.R. 28 may be the measure that is considered, but the Senate version is S.9, sponsored by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL). Now is the time to reach out and do what you can to truly protect children and young women from abuse by preventing this dangerous Act from being passed by the Senate.

YOUR MESSAGE:

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO CALL YOUR SENATORS NOW. Tell Them:

Please vote against the misleading and cruel Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, H.R. 28/S. S. 9, a bill that, if adopted into law, would lead to the victimization of trans children and trans young women who just wish to participate in school athletic programs – as should be their right.

The Capitol switchboard number is 202-224-3121. You can also follow this link to the list of the senators and their contact information, U.S. Senate: Senators and you may be able to send an email message via each senators’ official website.