Scanlon Condemns H.R. 28 as “Red Herring,” a Federal Attack on Transgender Children and Local Sports Programs“Banning transgender kids from playing school sports is an abuse of congressional power, not a solution to real problems.”
Washington,
January 14, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today released the following statement condemning H.R. 28, the so-called “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” as an attack on transgender children and a federal invasion of school athletic programs. “H.R. 28 is yet another legislative red herring, pretending to be something it is not. The bill makes no effort to address the actual barriers that women and girls face in school athletics, including sexual harassment and assault, and lack of equal resources and opportunities. Instead, H.R. 28 discriminates against transgender and intersex children as young as 4, banning them from participating in school sports with their friends, and creating a system likely to lead to invasive examinations of youngsters in order to prove their sex. “That’s why the Women’s Sports Foundation, the National Women’s Law Center, the YWCA, and over 60 women’s and girls’ rights organizations vehemently oppose H.R.28. “Rather than trying to understand the nuances of a complicated issue, H.R. 28 takes a sledgehammer to the issue of athletic participation by transgender youth and replicates the very problem Title 9 sought to end - the exclusion of young people from sport based on their gender. “I've met with transgender children and teens and their parents, and seen the huge struggles these families face - including lack of understanding and outright prejudice. Instead of protecting these vulnerable kids, H.R. 28 weaponizes the federal government to further discriminate against them. “Banning transgender kids from playing school sports is an abuse of congressional power, not a solution to real problems. “We all want sports to be fair and safe for students. To the extent that there are legitimate concerns about elite or school sports, we have athletic organizations, including the Olympic Committees, NCAA, and even PIAA, that regulate athletic competition to ensure fairness and safety, and do it far better than Washington politicians. “It’s time House Republicans stop wasting time attacking transgender kids and the LGBTQ community to score political points, and instead start working across the aisle to address the real problems facing Americans.” ### |
