MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Should transgender athletes play college sports alongside biologically born girls?
Tennessee already answered that question for K-12 athletes and now, lawmakers want to do the same for college athletes.
Bills involving transgender youth and school competition are making their way through the Tennessee House and another waiting to be signed by Gov. Bill Lee.
You’ve probably seen the headlines about swimmer Lia Thomas, a transgender woman sweeping the NCAA competition.
Her story and others are raising the question do transgender women have an unfair advantage when competing alongside athletes born female at birth?
“There’s female athletes, especially on the college level that have trained all their lives to compete and we just need to make sure that’s a level playing field,” said Sen. Joey Hensley, who represents District 28.
Hensley sponsored Senate Bill 2153 which just passed the Tennessee Senate and prevents transgender athletes in Tennessee from competing in college sports.
But Sen. Raumesh Akbari argues, “I don’t like the narrative of we have to protect our women athletes, I think our women athletes do a great job of competing and protecting themselves.”
Last year, Gov. Lee signed a law preventing transgender athletes from competing in K-12 schools in the state.
Sen. Hensley now wants to add teeth to that legislation, with Senate Bill 1861, as well by fining public schools which don’t follow the law.
“Certainly people can be transgender, and this is America, people can do what they want to do, but athletes, female athletes should just be able to know that they're competing against biological equals,” said Hensley.
LGBTQ groups, like the Tennessee Equality Project, are calling on governor lee to use his veto power saying, “these bills are part of a nationwide, coordinated attack on trans youth that is deeply stigmatizing and dangerous.”
“It’s discriminatory,” said Akbari. “It’s something we should not be putting our regulations on.”
“I think it is discriminatory against a girl having to compete against a biological male,” Hensley said. “Just let the best one win.”
The bill preventing transgender athletes from competing in college sports in the state still has to pass the Tennessee House and is set to be heard in committee this Tuesday.