House Passes Bill Banning Transgender Girls and Women from Competing in Girls’ Sports
The House approved a Republican-led bill on Tuesday that prohibits transgender girls and women from participating in school sports teams aligning with their gender identity.
The measure, titled the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” modifies Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education, to define “sex” strictly as “based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” Schools allowing transgender girls or women to compete in girls’ sports risk losing federal funding.
The bill passed with 218 votes in favor, 206 against, and one lawmaker voting present. Two Texas Democrats, Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, joined all Republicans in supporting the measure, while Democratic Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina voted present.
Republican Rep. Greg Steube of Florida, who sponsored the bill, stated, “An overwhelming majority of Americans believe that men don’t belong in women’s sports and that we must allow common sense to prevail.”
According to the CDC, approximately 3% of high school students identify as transgender. Public opinion polls in recent years have shown limited support for transgender athletes participating on teams matching their gender identity, and nearly half of U.S. states have already enacted restrictions on transgender athlete participation.
House Republicans previously passed a similar measure in 2023, but it did not advance in the then-Democrat-controlled Senate. Following Republican campaign ads in 2024 framing the issue as a threat to women’s sports, the GOP vowed to prioritize it again this year. A comparable measure has been introduced in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Republicans argue that transgender athletes have biological advantages that make competition unfair and potentially unsafe for cisgender girls and women.
In contrast, Democrats opposing the bill claim it could lead to invasive practices, such as genital examinations, and contribute to harassment of girls who don’t conform to traditional gender norms.
“We’re already seeing examples of harassment and questioning of girls who may not conform to stereotypical feminine roles,” said Democratic Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon.
While most Democrats opposed the measure, some moderates expressed reservations about the party’s messaging on transgender rights, particularly after election setbacks in 2024.
Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who voted against the measure, shared his concerns saying “Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face. I have two little girls, and I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat, I’m supposed to be afraid to say that.”
Despite these concerns, Moulton ultimately voted against the bill on Tuesday.
