Alabama Bans Men Playing in Womens’ Sports in The K-12
Darian Douraghy
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Republican Governor Kay Ivey of Alabama recently signed a bill that is controversial to many nowadays – the banning of men playing in womens’ sports.
In a public email sent from Ivey’s office, it was expressed that a public K-12 school “may never allow a biological male to participate on a female team.” Ivey’s office provided no further explanation on the statement.
Those who support the bill, called HB 391, point out that men are on average stronger and faster than women. The logical conclusion of this is clear: allowing people of both genders to play in any sport essentially abolishes the concept of female sports entirely.
Critics on the other side claim the bill violates the rights of transgender athletes, which is to say men who claim they are women and vice versa.
“HB 391 is nothing more than a politically motivated bill designed to discriminate against an already vulnerable population. By signing this legislation, Gov. Ivey is forcefully excluding transgender children. Let’s be clear here: transgender children are children. They deserve the same opportunity to learn valuable skills of teamwork, sportsmanship, and healthy competition with their peers,” Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David said in a statement.
The bill was sponsored by Republican Rep. Scott Stadthagen of Hartselle. The Alabama House voted 74-19 on it, with the Alabama Senate voting 25-5 in a similar majority.
“I want to thank Governor Ivey for her leadership and for protecting the rights of Alabama’s female athletes. Standing up for what is right is not always easy, but it is always the right thing to do,” Stadthagen said Friday.
As bills similar to this pop up all over the country, the NCAA has doubled down on support for allowing biological men to play in women’s sports by saying that championships will only be held in locations “free of discrimination.”
It’s the kind of corporate ultimatum we’ve become all too familiar with.
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