Testimonies: Equal Opportunity/Income Assistance

TESTIMONY LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF TEXAS SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE August 8, 2021.
The League OPPOSES SB2 and ANY bill that discriminates against transgender Texans, whether intentional or not.  

The harsh reality is that these bills are not really about “protecting” sports, but are entirely about pushing vulnerable transgender youth to the sidelines. Youth sports provide children an opportunity to set goals, make friends, have fun, get fit, and learn life lessons such as teamwork and self-discipline. No child should have to make the impossible decision between being themselves and participating in sports. Additionally, enforcement of these bills is ambiguous, and will affect transgender and cisgender girls alike. There are no guidelines on how, when, or where a student’s gender can be questioned.

The risk here is that any girl could be accused of being a “biological male” if she is too strong, too fast, too tall, too aggressive, or doesn’t look “feminine enough” to fit the typical gender stereotype. This runs the risk of actually decreasing participation in girls’ sports because even cisgender girls may not want to be required to prove their gender to… who? Their coach? Their principal? The accusing party?

This is not a way to encourage women and girls to participate in sports, and would be detrimental to all athletes, cisgender and transgender alike. The League of Women Voters of Texas believes that all children deserve equal opportunities to participate in sports, regardless of gender identity. We oppose SB2 and any other bills that harm transgender Texans. We urge you to vote NO on these bills, and to support equality for all Texans.