Oklahoma City, March 31 (BUS): The Republican governors of Oklahoma and Arizona have signed bills banning transgender athletes from playing girls’ school sports, joining a growing list of states that have passed or enacted similar laws on a controversial election issue.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey also signed a bill banning irreversible sex-change surgery for minors, Reuters reports.
“This legislation is logical and narrowly directed to address these two specific issues – while ensuring that transgender individuals continue to receive the same dignity, respect and kindness as anyone in our community,” Dossey said in a statement.
The ACLU has indicated that it will challenge the ban on gender reassignment surgery in court, saying on Twitter that “the government cannot violate our rights without a fight.”
Transgender rights have been pushed to the forefront of the culture wars that have been raging across the United States in recent years, along with issues such as reproductive rights. On Wednesday, Dossey also signed a bill banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Supporters of sports bans argue that it is necessary to ensure that transgender athletes do not have an unfair advantage, while opponents describe such measures as discriminatory.
The Oklahoma Women’s Sports Rescue Act applies to public schools in the state through college.
“We protect women’s sports, and we ensure equal opportunity for female athletes,” Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said at the signing ceremony, surrounded by young female athletes.
Oklahoma and Arizona are now among 14 states that have enacted legislation prohibiting transgender girls from participating and competing in girls’ sports at school.
A similar bill passed in Kentucky last week and awaits action from Democratic Governor Andy Beshear.
Opponents of the ban have described the laws as backed by special conservative interests to galvanize support ahead of November’s congressional elections, when Republicans will seek majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in 2019 that 1.8% of high school students in the country are transgender. The human rights advocacy group said that according to surveys, only about 12% of them play on girls’ sports teams.
The Human Rights Campaign said it is tracking more than 300 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community that are currently moving through state legislatures, many of which specifically target transgender youth.
Sex reassignment surgery for people under the age of 18 is extremely rare and will only take place after years of treatment in cases where a patient’s desires are unshakable, according to experts in transgender medicine.