I argued throughout this year’s legislative session that girls deserve a fair playing field, that allowing biological males to compete with girls robbed these girls of opportunity and scholarships, and it violated federal law (Title IX). Girls and women testified in front of a House committee to the same, as the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” sponsored by Rep. Nancy Barto, slowly made its way through the Arizona Legislature. The bill passed the House only to stall in the Senate as all pending bills succumbed to the COVID-19 lockdown.
But, three girl athletes in Connecticut had filed a federal complaint and a lawsuit with the help of our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom . The first of which has vindicated the female athletes and the effort to keep female sports female.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights found Connecticut’s main student athletic organization and several school districts violated Title IX, denying female athletes benefits and opportunities when they allowed biological males to compete in female sports.
The OCR issued a Letter of Impending Enforcement Action, giving the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference until June 4th (yesterday) to correct its Transgender policies and bring them in line with federal law. The U.S. Department of Education could withhold funding if the CIAC does not comply.
The OCR found that two biological males, who identify as girls, repeatedly won first and second place. This “denied an opportunity for Student 2, who placed 3rd to place 1st in the event and receive the benefit of a 1st place medal. Denying a female student a chance to win a championship is inconsistent with Title IX s mandate of equal opportunity for both sexes.”
It is a scientific fact that males and females are different, and males are generally faster and stronger than females. It’s why we have Title IX, to allow girls and women a chance to excel in their sport.
The “Save Women’s Sports Act” and the other bills like it throughout the country do not deny anyone a chance to play sports. They simply determine on which team they will play.
Idaho was the first state to pass such a law, which was promptly met with a lawsuit. The OCR’s findings bring hope for Idaho’s law, the three plaintiffs in the Connecticut lawsuit, and for every state legislature courageous enough to stand up for girl athletes.
Armed with this move by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, Arizona lawmakers can confidently take up the issue again in the 2021 legislative session.
Based on the OCR’s findings, perhaps the Arizona Interscholastic Association will now revise its current policy allowing biological males to unfairly compete in girls’ sports.
ICYMI
- My prayerful thoughts on the devastating death of George Floyd.
- Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Resource Center released compelling results of a survey on perceptions of morality and moral choices. CAP interviewed Dr. George Barna on this issue for our Engage Arizona podcast series. Listen here.
- Explore Breakpoint’s video library addressing key cultural issues in their ongoing video series, “What Would You Say?”
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