An anti-trans sports bill, SB 83, has passed through both the Kentucky Senate and Kentucky House thanks largely to Republicans in power, with a vote of 25-9 in the Senate and 70-23 in the House, per the Los Angeles Blade. The exclusionary bill is on its way to the governor’s desk. Now, Kentucky is governed by Democrat Andy Beshear, but that’s not a guarantee this legislation won’t become law. Why not? Because while Beshear can veto the bill, Republicans have a supermajority in the General Assembly, meaning they can override the veto.
This particular bill holds similarities to much of the discriminatory sports legislation Daily Kos has covered recently—conservatives want to keep trans girls from participating in girls’ sports teams by pretending they care about girls' sports. In reality, they’re hoping this is an easy way to get people on board with transphobia and discrimination. In this case, the bill applies to trans girls starting in sixth grade and would apply through (public) college. That means this bill differs from some that start bans in kindergarten, but really, it’s no less dangerous or hateful.
RELATED: Texas Attorney General accuses school district of breaking the law over Pride Week curriculum
Mind you, as far as we know, there is one openly trans girl playing on girls’ sports teams in the state: Fischer Wells. One. And if Republicans get their way, she won’t be able to play with her friends this coming year. How old is she? How competitive is this league? Oh, she’ll be denied the chance to play with her fellow eighth-graders.
Fairness Campaign Executive Director Chris Hartman described the student’s situation in a statement after the General Assembly moved this radical legislation forward. Hartman described the openly trans seventh-grader as a 12-year-old who actually started the field hockey team at her middle school and would be denied the chance to play if this legislation goes into effect.
“The Fairness Campaign now calls on Kentucky’s most pro-equality Governor Andy Beshear to protect the lives of transgender youth and let all Kentucky kids play by vetoing Senate Bill 83,” Hartman added.
Wells, mind you, was denied the opportunity to speak before the House Education Committee in spite of traveling to the state Capitol to testify about how the legislation would impact her. The Senate did allow Wells, as well as several other openly trans athletes, to speak back in February.
During her testimony, Wells said it’s “disgusting” that the bill has even been suggested, as reported by Spectrum News 1. She went on to say that she really doesn’t “want this bill to pass because that means I can’t play and it will be extremely detrimental to my mental health as well because I know that sports is a great way for me to cope with things.”
Speaking from the House floor, as reported by The Advocate, Democratic Rep. Lisa Willner pointed out that the discussion isn’t about “elite athletics” but “about Kentucky kids.” I feel some resistance to arguments that isolate elite athletes, but her greater point still stands, especially as relevant to lawmakers in Kentucky. It’s about young people who are already marginalized and already live with higher rates of depression, anxiety, bullying, harassment, and even homelessness. It’s about ethics, equality, and frankly, dignity.
Along the same lines, Bonnie Meyer, who works with Northern Kentucky Pride, spoke out against the legislation and (accurately) said it’s an attempt to discriminate against “some of our most marginalized Kentuckians.” In speaking to local outlet WKRC Local 12, Meyer stressed that trans girls are girls and that the lawmakers who support this legislation simply don’t understand the issue.
“It makes no sense,” Meyer continued. “We have a group of lawmakers in Frankfort who don’t understand the issue, who aren’t connected to the issue, who don’t take the opportunity or the time to actually listen to our LGBTQ and trans athletes and families.”
Like other comparable bills, this one does in fact stand in opposition to the standards of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which does in fact allow trans girls and women to compete on girls’ teams. If this bill becomes law in Kentucky, it’s possible it could negatively impact Kentucky’s place in NCAA tournaments. If ethics can’t change minds, maybe money will? At this point, we can only hope—and mobilize progressive voters for the upcoming midterms.
You can learn more about Wells and her brave journey below.
YouTube Video
This particular bill holds similarities to much of the discriminatory sports legislation Daily Kos has covered recently—conservatives want to keep trans girls from participating in girls’ sports teams by pretending they care about girls' sports. In reality, they’re hoping this is an easy way to get people on board with transphobia and discrimination. In this case, the bill applies to trans girls starting in sixth grade and would apply through (public) college. That means this bill differs from some that start bans in kindergarten, but really, it’s no less dangerous or hateful.
RELATED: Texas Attorney General accuses school district of breaking the law over Pride Week curriculum
Mind you, as far as we know, there is one openly trans girl playing on girls’ sports teams in the state: Fischer Wells. One. And if Republicans get their way, she won’t be able to play with her friends this coming year. How old is she? How competitive is this league? Oh, she’ll be denied the chance to play with her fellow eighth-graders.
Fairness Campaign Executive Director Chris Hartman described the student’s situation in a statement after the General Assembly moved this radical legislation forward. Hartman described the openly trans seventh-grader as a 12-year-old who actually started the field hockey team at her middle school and would be denied the chance to play if this legislation goes into effect.
“The Fairness Campaign now calls on Kentucky’s most pro-equality Governor Andy Beshear to protect the lives of transgender youth and let all Kentucky kids play by vetoing Senate Bill 83,” Hartman added.
Wells, mind you, was denied the opportunity to speak before the House Education Committee in spite of traveling to the state Capitol to testify about how the legislation would impact her. The Senate did allow Wells, as well as several other openly trans athletes, to speak back in February.
During her testimony, Wells said it’s “disgusting” that the bill has even been suggested, as reported by Spectrum News 1. She went on to say that she really doesn’t “want this bill to pass because that means I can’t play and it will be extremely detrimental to my mental health as well because I know that sports is a great way for me to cope with things.”
Speaking from the House floor, as reported by The Advocate, Democratic Rep. Lisa Willner pointed out that the discussion isn’t about “elite athletics” but “about Kentucky kids.” I feel some resistance to arguments that isolate elite athletes, but her greater point still stands, especially as relevant to lawmakers in Kentucky. It’s about young people who are already marginalized and already live with higher rates of depression, anxiety, bullying, harassment, and even homelessness. It’s about ethics, equality, and frankly, dignity.
Along the same lines, Bonnie Meyer, who works with Northern Kentucky Pride, spoke out against the legislation and (accurately) said it’s an attempt to discriminate against “some of our most marginalized Kentuckians.” In speaking to local outlet WKRC Local 12, Meyer stressed that trans girls are girls and that the lawmakers who support this legislation simply don’t understand the issue.
“It makes no sense,” Meyer continued. “We have a group of lawmakers in Frankfort who don’t understand the issue, who aren’t connected to the issue, who don’t take the opportunity or the time to actually listen to our LGBTQ and trans athletes and families.”
Like other comparable bills, this one does in fact stand in opposition to the standards of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which does in fact allow trans girls and women to compete on girls’ teams. If this bill becomes law in Kentucky, it’s possible it could negatively impact Kentucky’s place in NCAA tournaments. If ethics can’t change minds, maybe money will? At this point, we can only hope—and mobilize progressive voters for the upcoming midterms.
You can learn more about Wells and her brave journey below.
YouTube Video