Another ban on transgender girls, women playing female sports passes Georgia House
Georgia lawmakers are continuing efforts to ban transgender student-athletes from playing sports according to their gender identity.
The Georgia House voted 102-54 Thursday to approve House Bill 267. Three Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the measure. The bill would bar transgender women and girls from competing in female sporting events at public K-12 schools and colleges — and private schools that compete against public institutions.
Instead, transgender girls and women would have to participate on single-sex athletic teams according to the sex listed on their birth certificate. It would also require transgender student-athletes to use restrooms, locker rooms and sleeping quarters according to the sex on their birth certificate.
The House Republican proposal comes weeks after the Senate passed a similar measure, also mostly along a party-line vote.
State Rep. Josh Bonner, a Fayetteville Republican, echoed other Republican lawmakers who’ve pushed similar legislation, saying the bill aims to restore fairness to girls’ and women’s sports. “This is about seeking a common-sense solution so males play with males and females play with females,” Bonner said.
There are no known instances of Georgia transgender student-athletes competing in sports, leading opponents to say the legislation is a solution in search of a problem. Transgender girls are already required to play high school sports according to the sex on their birth certificate due to regulations put in place in 2022 by the Georgia High School Association.
“We do not need this bill to protect our girls in competitive sports,” said state Rep. Stacey Evans, an Atlanta Democrat. “All we are doing today is bullying very vulnerable children.”
Republican lawmakers have called President Donald Trump’s Georgia victory in November as a green light to continue to push cultural issues. Trump signed an executive order earlier this month blocking federal funding for any school that allows transgender student-athletes to play in single-sex sports according to their gender identity.
A poll from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this year found just more than 70% of Georgia voters surveyed said they support requiring student-athletes to play sports according to the sex on their birth certificate.
Though several bills regulating transgender people are moving through the legislative process this year, one of the bills regulating athletic competition is most likely to become law. The House has previously been hesitant to take up legislation aimed at transgender people, but House Speaker Jon Burns announced last year that it was his priority.
This year, Republicans are also leading efforts that would ban the use of the State Health Benefits Plan or public funds in prisons to pay for gender-affirming care. Another Republican-led measure would ban minors from receiving puberty blockers.
In a statement, Burns celebrated the legislation’s passage.
“No young woman should ever be forced to face a biological male on the court, on the field or in the locker room — and I’m proud of this legislation that brings us another step closer to codifying protections for girls’ sports,” Burns said.
Leaders in each chamber will have to reach a consensus on what the final bill will look like before sending it to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature.
About the Author
Maya T. Prabhu covers the Georgia Senate and statewide issues as a government reporter for The AJC. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in northern Virginia, Maya attended Spelman College and then the University of Maryland for a master's degree. She writes about social issues, the criminal justice system and legislative politics.
