Bill Banning Transgender Girls From Women’s Sports Passes State House

A bill that aims to ban transgender girls from participating in women’s sports was passed in the Oklahoma House Monday, 73-19.

Monday, April 19th 2021, 8:00 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY -

A bill that aims to ban transgender girls from participating in women’s sports was passed in the Oklahoma House Monday, 73-19.

Senate Bill 2 was originally a Senate bill on school finance before it was gutted and replaced with language to bar transgender girls from women’s sports.

The bill, written by Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin prohibits anyone of the "biological" male sex from playing on athletic teams designated for women, females, or girls. It also allows female athletes to sue the school if feel they've been “deprived of an athletic opportunity” because of a transgender student.

Across the United States, around 35 similar bills have been introduced this year, according to the LGBTQ rights group Freedom for All Americans. Bills in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas have been signed into law.

This month, the NCAA said that it will not host championships in states that prohibit transgender sports participation.

The NCAA board of governors released a statement saying in part, “When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected.”

Oklahoma is set to host various NCAA championships in the next few years. Those events could be threatened if SB2 becomes law.