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

Transgender student-athlete must also stop hormonal therapy if they want to continue playing the sport that corresponds with their gender at birth.

Senate Bill 83 doesn’t “restrict the eligibility for any student to take part in an athletic activity, or sport designated as a ‘boys’ or ‘coed,” the bill states.

The bill stated that the state board, school districts, and agencies responsible for overseeing athletics in the State would not be allowed to take legal action against schools for banning transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports.

Some amendments to this bill would allow students in grades 6-12 to be exempted from the rule. Students who were given female gender at birth have the right to file legal action to enforce the act.

Last month, Republican governors Eric Holcomb and Spencer Cox, both from Utah, vetoed similar bills.

Holcomb stated that it was not clear if the procedures described in The bill would be consistently applied in schools throughout Indiana. He said that similar bans in other states were being challenged by lawsuits, which, in some cases stopped them from being enforced.

Utah’s Cox explained his veto to legislative leaders by saying: “I have to admit that I’m not an expert in transgenderism. It is difficult for me to grasp so much of it, and the science is contradicting. If in doubt, however, I try to be kind, compassionate, and merciful when possible.