PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill Tuesday that supporters say “ensures opportunities for women athletes, while fulfilling the goals of Title IX,” but opponents call discriminatory towards transgender students.
Senate Bill 1191 would not allow transgender women and girls to compete on any public school girls or women's teams in the state despite them being consistent with their gender identity, from elementary schools to collegiate "state-related institutions" including Penn State and Temple universities.
The bill, which you can read below, says that those girls and women’s sports teams “may not be open to those of the male sex…based on reproductive biology.” Sponsored by Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair, the bill requires public K-12 schools and colleges to designate sports as male, female or coed.
It comes months after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, competed in and won the 500 meter freestyle at the NCAA Division 1 Swimming and Diving Championships.
The proposal, which passed 30-20, now heads to the House. One Democrat, Sen. Lisa Boscola of Northampton County, crossed party lines to vote in favor of the Senate version.
During floor debate, supporters argued the bill would level the playing field for cisgender women. Opponents said the bill would harm vulnerable young people.
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“Where are the feminists?'' said Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, the current Republican gubernatorial nominee who backs the measure. “I stand on the side of the lady athletes. I stand on the side of science.''
“My colleagues across the aisle asked: where are the feminists? We are right here,'' said Sen. Amanda Cappelletti, D-Montgomery. “We are standing in opposition to Senate Bill 1191 because trans girls are girls; trans women are women.''
If the bill becomes law this month, it would go into effect in 60 days, around the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.
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The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a similar bill in April.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf will veto the legislation if it makes it to his desk, his spokeswoman Beth Rementer said.
"Republicans in the General Assembly have made it clear that they would rather focus on attention-seeking stunts instead of addressing critical issues,'' she said in an email.
More than a dozen other states have enacted legislation that bans transgender athletes from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity.
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