Texas Gov. Greg Abbott extended the state’s ban on male-born competitors in female scholastic sports by signing legislation to include collegiate athletics.
 
Flanked by state lawmakers and female athletes, the Republican signed Senate Bill 15, which builds on the state’s 2021 law prohibiting biological males from participating in girls’ sports in K-12 public schools.
 
“Today is an important day for female athletes across the state of Texas, including little girls who aspire to one day compete in college sports,” Mr. Abbott said. “The Save Women’s Sports Act protects young women at Texas colleges and universities by prohibiting men from competing on a team or as an individual against them in college sports.”
 
He was joined by NCAA 11-time All-American swimmer Jeri Shanteau; former Midwestern State University basketball player Kassidy Comer; Texas powerlifter Jade Dickens; University of Texas swimmer Ellie McLeod, and University of Texas volleyball player Makenna Miller.
 
“Sports have inspired many women to cast bold visions and dreams of what they want to achieve,” Mr. Abbott said. “The legacy of women’s sports will be safeguarded for generations to come. Women in Texas can be assured that the integrity of their sports will be protected in our state.”
 
The legislation, which goes into effect Sept. 1, provides whistleblower protection for those who flag violations. The bill also creates a legal avenue for individuals to sue colleges and universities that allow male-born athletes who identify as women to compete on female teams.
 
Cheering the bill-signing was the Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents “collegiate athletes across the country who personally experienced disappointment and loss when males were permitted to compete in women’s sports.”
 
“Since the NCAA refuses to protect fairness for female athletes, states must ensure women in college have the same equal athletic opportunities that they were afforded in high school,” said Christiana Kiefer, alliance senior counsel.

The NCAA Board of Governors announced in January 2021 that it would defer on the transgender-eligibility issue to national sports governing bodies amid the uproar over Lia Thomas, the University of Pennsylvania swimmer who became the first male-born athlete to win a Division I women’s title.

The Texas Freedom Network ripped the legislation as “yet another harmful attack from anti-LGBTQ lawmakers on transgender Texans’ right to be embraced, accepted, and able to thrive.”

“Just like their fellow athletes, trans athletes vary in ability and body type — factors such as physical training, conditioning, dedication, and experience determine athletic performance more than anything else,” said network vice president of programs Marti Bier. “Texas’ talented student-athletes deserve the freedom to bring their full selves to the field and court.”
 
The bill passed the Republican-controlled Senate with no Democrat votes. A dozen Democrats voted for the bill in the GOP-led House.

Twenty-two states have passed laws barring male-born athletes from female sports at the secondary-school level or college, or both, according to the American Principles Project.

• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.