Summary:
- Governor Abbott signs the controversial 'Save Women's Sports Act,' restricting transgender women's participation in college sports.
- NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines supports the move, but LGBTQ advocates express concerns about its impact on marginalized communities.
- Flanked by former NCAA swimmers, Abbott signs the act, barring trans athletes born male from competing on women's teams at Texas colleges.
- Opponents argue the law is discriminatory and stifles innovation in improving women's sports while excluding trans athletes.
- Ricardo Martinez of Equality Texas sees the law and other bills as threats to LGBTQ Texans, leading to increased violence and discrimination.
- The law's signing follows a previous similar measure for transgender high school athletes in Texas.
Governor Abbott held a bill signing ceremony today for a controversial piece of legislation restricting transgender women's participation in college sports. The governor was joined by NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines who applauded the move as a win for fairness, but tonight LGBTQ advocates in Texas worry this law will further hurt already marginalized communities.
Bill Signing Ceremony
Flanked by former NCAA swimmers Riley Gaines and Paula Scanlon, Governor Abbott ceremonially signed the Save Women's Sports Act at the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in Denton. We gather today to safeguard that legacy for women in college sports. The measure, also known as SB 15, bars trans athletes who are born male from competing on women's teams at Texas colleges and universities. Women's sports, women's records, women's teams, women's locker rooms—all are jeopardized when biological men are allowed to compete. Abbott officially signed the bill back in June after it was passed by the legislature. He sent a message to approximately 15 million Texan women that they will be treated fairly on the playing fields and the sport arenas and inside the locker rooms.Gaines and Scanlon both competed against trans swimmer Leah Thomas whose championship win they say exemplifies the need for this law. I hope other states follow in Texas's footsteps and make the pro-women choice to protect our sports. But opponents say this move is a solution in search of a problem. Having transgender teammates is not one of the threats to women's sports. Ricardo Martinez of Equality Texas says the Save Women's Sports Act is straight-up discrimination and a loss for inclusion on college campuses. Bands do not allow for universities to think through innovative ideas on how to both improve women's sports and allow the small number of trans athletes to participate and compete more broadly. Martinez believes this and other bills passed in the Legislature this year put a target on the backs of LGBTQ Texans. We have seen a marked increase in phone calls to Equality Texas and our partner organizations of people experiencing violence, people experiencing bullying, harassment, discrimination. We're seeing more of it and that's unfortunately what we expected to see. Now two years ago, Governor Abbott signed a similar law requiring transgender high school athletes to compete only on teams that correspond to their biological sex.