Local sports stars and politicians gathered for a rally on the Capitol steps to keep biological boys out of women’s sports.
This comes as legislation that would prohibit transgender girls from participating in girl's sports in Minnesota schools is set to be heard on the House floor.
Former Minnesota Viking and chair of the Center for Opportunity Jack Brewer says he's fully committed to protecting girl's sports.
"These girls fight to play sports," Brewer said. "When I came to the University of Minnesota, we were the shining light for Title IX. This was the state that represented equality. And now we're talking about taking steps back and allowing boys to beat up on our girls."
Former Minnesota Gopher football star Ben Utecht is also supporting the bill and participated in the rally.
At a rally on the Capitol steps, Republicans called on the public for support for the bill.
"I can have love in my heart for every human being on this planet and believe that biological males have no place competing against our girls," says Minnesota State Senator Julia Coleman (R- Waconia).
Democrats called the move a distraction.
"This is the bill that they're choosing today," House Representative Jamie Long (DFL- Minneapolis) says. "They're not trying to bring a bill to deal with our affordable housing crisis, to deal with the food shortages, of eggs that we have, to deal with childcare. They're putting forward an ugly, divisive bill."
An initial vote on the bill is scheduled for Monday which is expected to fail without support from Democrats. House File 12 is the legislation that would prohibit transgender girls from participating in girls' sports in Minnesota schools before it is heard on the House Floor. Supporters of trans athletes participating in girl's sports say removing those protections would violate the Minnesota Constitution.
The Trump administration and Attorney General Pam Bondi have already threatened legal action against both Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the Minnesota State High School League if they continue to allow participation.
Ellison told WCCO Radio he believes in the state's right to decide.
"My response is we're gonna stand up for Minnesota law," Ellison told WCCO Radio last Wednesday. "The Washington action is nothing but a cover for bigotry against a discrete, minority group, and this has been an obsession from the Trump administration, attacking a very small minority based on their bigoted hatred of this group. And and we're talking about the trans community. So, we're going to stand up for Minnesota law."