Tennessee became the third state to pass a bill that keeps school sports separate based on sex at birth.
The state followed in the footsteps of Mississippi and Arkansas in enacting legislation that advocates say will protect women’s sport.
Republican Governor Bill Lee previously said that the participation of transgender athletes “would destroy women’s sports”. He signed the bill on Friday.
“I signed the bill to preserve women’s athletics and ensure fair competition,” Lee tweeted. “This legislation responds to harmful federal policies that oppose years of progress made under Title IX and I commend members of the General Assembly for their bipartisan work. “
Critics of the bill say it will lead to legal challenges that will cause unnecessary economic losses, Tennessean reported. Others argue that the controversial bill will deter tourists.
MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL BANNING TRANSGENDER FEMALE SPORTS ATHLETES
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed a similar bill on March 11 determining the separation of sports based on sex at birth.
Mississippi Republicans said the law, which will affect state schools and universities, is a necessary response to President Biden’s first-day executive order, calling on schools across the country to allow students to participate in sports with their gender identity. chosen.
“This important piece of legislation will ensure that girls in Mississippi have a fair and level playing field in public school sports,” said Reeves after signing the bill. “It sends a clear message to my daughters and to all the daughters of Mississippi that it is worth fighting for your rights.”
MISSISSIPPI PASSES PROHIBITION OF TRANSGENDER IN GIRL SPORTS
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, also a Republican, signed the Justice for Women Act on Thursday after the measure passed the State House with overwhelming support earlier this week.
“This law simply says that female athletes should not compete in a sport against a male student when the sport is designed for female competitions,” said Hutchinson in a statement. “This will help to promote and maintain justice at women’s sporting events.”
Approximately 25 bills have emerged across the country, while conservatives struggle to protect opportunities for biological women in sports.
Defenders of LGBTQ rights have condemned each bill, saying it is not a question of “protecting justice” but of “erasing and excluding trans people from … all aspects of public life”.
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“This discriminatory policy is illegal,” said Sam Brinton of The Trevor Project, a national group that offers crisis prevention services to young transgender people. “The Trevor Project is here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to support trans youth in Tennessee and across the country who feel hurt and invalidated by these purely political attacks.”
Fox News’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report, as did The Associated Press.