Mississippi Bans Transgender Athletes from Competing in Female Sports
On Thursday, the Senate in Mississippi passed a bill prohibiting transgender athletes from playing in girl’s or women’s sports.
According to the Associated Press, the Senate Bill 2536, which was sponsored by Republican Sen. Angela Hill of Picayune, was passed in a vote of 34-9. Five Senators, however, did not vote and four voted “present”, meaning that they were neither for nor against the measure.
Hill explained that she’s had several coaches across the Republican-led state call her and share their concerns over the allowance of transgender athletes in female sports, especially after President Joe Biden passed an executive order in allowing them to play.
“I’ve had numerous coaches across the state call me and believe that they feel there’s a need for a policy in Mississippi because they are beginning to have some concerns of having to deal with this,” Hill explained.
It was not revealed by the Senators as to whether or not transgender athletes were presently competing in the State and Hill did not choose to disclose further information.
Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, the father of three daughters, expressed disappointment over Biden’s executive order in favor of transgender athletes.
“I am so disappointed over President Biden’s actions to force young girls like them to compete with biological males for access to athletics,” he tweeted on Feb. 4.
It is also why I am so disappointed over President Biden’s actions to force young girls like them to compete with biological males for access to athletics. It will limit opportunity for so many competitors like my daughters. It is bad policy and it is wrong for America.
— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) February 4, 2021
Mississippi is not the only state to propose bans on transgender athletes.
The New York Post reports that North Dakota, Utah, and Tennessee have likewise passed similar measures. Proponents from these states argue that transgender girls, are naturally stronger and faster than biological females since they were born male.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group, denounced the proposed anti-transgender bills as an attempt to “sow fear and hate.”
“These bills are not addressing any real problem, and they’re not being requested by constituents,” the statement reads. “Rather, this effort is being driven by national far-right organizations attempting to sow fear and hate.”
Photo courtesy: Jeffrey F. Lin//Unsplash
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer. He is also the co-hosts of the For Your Soul podcast, which seeks to equip the church with biblical truth and sound doctrine Visit his blog Blessed Are The Forgiven.
Comments are closed.