Fairness In Women’s Sports Act bans some transgender athletes
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Idaho Governor Brad Little signed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act in March, which makes Idaho the first state to ban transgender girls from participating in girls and women’s sports.
"We know that sports is a very important part of many young people's lives," Transgender Advocate, Team USA, and Nike Athlete, Chris Mosier said.
"It was a super hugely important part of my life as a young person, even before I knew that I was transgender. Sport was the way that I found my friends, was the way I found my community. So we know that there are great physical and mental benefits of people participating in sport, and no young person should be prohibited from having that opportunity, like their peers."
Mosier says with the new law, anyone could question the gender of an athlete. Girls and women will have to undergo genital exams, genetic testing and/or hormone testing if a claim is carried out.
"There's a limit as to how good a girl can be in sports before people assume that she's no longer a girl," Mosier said. "That is a very dangerous situation for any young girl to be in to have to subject them to testing or to visual inspection, just in order to play a sport I know if I was a 14-year-old who had to have a public examination in order to play sports. It would probably have driven me from sports, it is not a part of normal testing"
State Senator Maryann Jodran told the Kootenai Valley Times, “House bill 500 will inevitably result in a lawsuit with a million-dollar price tag and Idaho taxpayers will be footing the bill.”
State Senator Lee Heider said “Boys are boys and girls are girls. No doctor, no judge, no Department of Health and Welfare is going to change that.”
"To have lawmakers say to your face that you are not worthy of the same opportunities as your peers is incredibly damaging, Mosier said. "But tell that to young people who are already struggling because High School is a tough age. You know, this is even more damaging, and it sends a message that only certain types of people are welcome in Idaho."
The New York Times says the new law could violate Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions receiving federal financing.
