Kentucky Governor Stops Bill Banning Transgender Students From Women’s Sports

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed this week a bill that would have required student-athletes to take part in sports based upon the sex on their birth certificates.

Senate Bill 83, also known as the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, was passed by the state Senate 26-9. It was sent to Beshear on March 25. Beshear vetoed Wednesday.

Beshear, a Democrat wrote that transgender children deserved public officials’ efforts to show they are valued members of our communities through compassion and kindness, empathy, even if it is not understanding.

According to the bill, K-12 schools that are part of the Kentucky Board of Education will “designate all athletic activities and sports for students in grades 6-12 as one of these categories: “boys”, “coed” or ‘girls.”

The bill would have prohibited transgender women from participating both in intramural and intercollegiate sports at state public colleges.