All across the country there are anti-trans laws in progress. The worst proposals that have been put forward would authorize schools to inspect the genitals of trans children. Many of these bills specifically will lead to the discrimination againstof trans youth in sports.
Transgender individuals are some of the most vulnerable populations when it comes to the institution of sports. They already face discrimination and harassment without official legislation that invalidates their genders. These bills would enforce systemic discrimination towards the trans community. Many trans individuals might avoid sports all together because of this. These sports bills are made with the assumption that trans women have an unfair biological advantage, but plenty of athletes have an unfair advantage over others based on other characteristics like height and weight. Some argue that this physical advantage is a fundamental part of sports competition. Others argue that sports should be based on things like height and weight so that the competition is more equal. Either way, these bills do nothing to fix inequality in sports.
Many anti-trans sports bills have already passed, but there is hope as some have also been vetoed. A comprehensive list of anti-trans sports bills that have been created during 2021 can be found here. Below is a list of anti-trans sports bills that have been referred to committees. Click on each bill to find out more about the specific bill and how you can help stop it.