Mississippi and South Dakota have passed legislation that discriminates against transgender youth in sports.
Mississippi has become the first state to pass a law that would ban transgender girls and women from school sports.
Bill 2536, which exists under the title “provide that schools designate teams by biological sex”, aims to make it state binding that educational institutions must segregate sports teams based on biological sex.
The pending legislation argues education institutions that are members of sporting associations such as NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) or NJCCA (National Junior College Athletic Association) must allocate team members strictly based on biological sex.
The bill outlines three specific categories such as “males”, “females”, and “coed” which discriminates against transgender athletes.
Bill 2536 states it aims to “provide protection for any school or institution of higher education that maintains separate athletic teams or sports for students of the female sex.”
Continuing, it outlines: “Athletic teams or sports designated for “females,” “women” or “girls” shall not be open to students of the male sex”.
Senate Bill 2536 passed House last month with 34 votes in favour of the legislation. Earlier this month, the state house voted in an overwhelming majority in favour of the bill.
A Republican majority voted in favour of the bill with an 81-28 outcome. The bill has since been sent to the Republican governor Tate Reeves.
Reeves is expected to sign the bill as she believes it will “protect young girls from being forced to compete with biological males for athletic opportunities”, according to The Guardian.
Mississippi’s Senate Bill 2536 is expected to take effect and be in force from July 1, however, it can be legally challenged.
Following Biden’s executive order, the state law would be in violation of the updated Title IX laws which prevent discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and race.
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