Utah's governor says he'll veto a ban on transgender girls in youth sports
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks during an interview at the Utah State Capitol, Friday, March 4, 2022, in Salt Lake City. Transgender girls in Utah won't be able to play sports on teams that correspond with their gender identity under legislation that the state Senate passed late Friday. Eleventh-hour amendments introduced in the final hours before lawmakers adjourn must return to the House for approval and then be signed by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox before becoming state law.
Legislation sent to Cox after passing through the state Senate and House on Friday bans “biological males” — which it defines as “an individual’s genetics and anatomy at birth” — from girls leagues. Supporters said it would ensure fairness and safety for girls and pre-empt cultural shifts they said could lead to a growing number of transgender kids wanting to compete in girls sports in the future.
The originally proposed “School Activity Eligibility Commission” would have been comprised of a mix of experts in sports and transgender healthcare. It ultimately failed to gain buy-in from those opposed to and supportive of a ban. The legislation sent to the governor aims to rebut what commission advocates, including the bill's sponsor Rep. Kera Birkeland, believed was among their strongest arguments: that courts would likely prevent Utah from enforcing a ban, much like they have in states such asThe ban that ultimately passed retained sections of the original proposal and designated the commission as a back-up, for a scenario in which courts prohibited Utah from enforcing a ban.
Birkeland said she was frustrated by the many conversations she had about the politics of her proposed commission, rather than the kids affected.
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