Dozens of athletes wrote a letter to the House on Monday urging lawmakers to drop proposed legislation that would prohibit transgender and intersex girls and women from participating in sports.
“As professional, Olympic and Paralympic athletes, we have dedicated our lives to sports. Sports have given us our greatest friends, taught us incredible life lessons, and given us the confidence and drive to succeed in the world,” the coalition wrote in its letter.
“Sport is a tremendous outlet for physical and mental health, teaches valuable lessons on teamwork and discipline, and has brought us lifelong community. Every single child should have access to the lifesaving power of sports,” it added.
“Right now, transgender and intersex human rights are under attack, with politicians in Washington D.C. pushing forward H.R. 734, the so-called ‘Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act’, which would stipulate that Title IX compliance requires banning transgender and intersex girls and women from participating in sports.”
The letter was sent by Athlete Ally, a nonprofit organization focused on creating LGBTQI+ inclusive athletic environments. It was signed by 40 prominent athletes, including soccer star Megan Rapinoe, recently retired WNBA legend Sue Bird and transgender boxer Patricio Manuel.
“If this bill passes, transgender and intersex girls and women throughout the country will be forced to sit on the sidelines, away from their peers and their communities. Furthermore, the policing of who can and cannot play school sports will very likely lead to the policing of the bodies of all girls, including cisgender girls,” they said.
In recent years, multiple states have enacted laws to prohibit transgender athletes from participating in organized sports, a push that is now finding favor with Republicans on the national level.
“We believe that gender equity in sport is critical, which is why we urge policymakers to turn their attention and effort to the causes women athletes have been fighting for decades, including equal pay, an end to abuse and mistreatment, uneven implementation of Title IX, and a lack of access and equity for girls of color and girls with disabilities, to name only a few,” the letter adds.
“Our deepest hope is that transgender and intersex kids will never have to feel the isolation, exclusion and othering that H.R. 734 is seeking to enshrine into law.”