Vos says bill to ban male-to-female transgender athletes from competing as women is moving forward – Journal Times

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, indicated earlier this week that a hearing, and thus possibly a vote, on a bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s or girls’ sports in Wisconsin may be coming.

“We’re going to have a hearing on it, we’re going to move that legislation forward,” Vos said in a WISN-TV interview.

Republicans who have forwarded nearly identical bills in more than a dozen states argue that student-athletes who are born male but who are undergoing treatment to transition to female would have an advantage over female-born student-athletes, even if these situations are a rarity.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, the nonprofit that governs most of the state’s high school sports, already has a policy in place regarding transgender athletes.

WIAA’s policy states that a student transitioning from male to female “must have one calendar year of medically documented testosterone suppression therapy to be eligible to participate on a female team, consistent with WIAA policy. Note that a MTF (male to female) student who has NOT started testosterone suppression therapy may participate on male teams if desired by the student, as there would be no concern about safety or competitive equity without biological interventions having been implemented.”

Regardless of if the Republican-controlled Legislature passes such a bill, Gov. Tony Evers would likely veto it. When the proposal first came forward last month, Evers tweeted: “My message to Wisconsin’s transgender kids and students today is simple: I see you. You are welcome, you are wanted, and you belong.”

State Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, who identifies as queer and is a member of the Wisconsin Legislative LGBT Caucus, said in a text to The Journal Times: “It’s deeply disappointing to see the Assembly Speaker double down on a cruel and discriminatory bill that actively harms children in our communities, instead of focusing on proactive policy to build Wisconsin back up as we work to recover from COVID-19.

“This is a blatant attempt to codify discrimination and perpetuate damaging, inaccurate, and deeply offensive narratives against a group of young people who just want to play. Our kids and our state deserve better.”

The Senate also has appeared less enthused about the issue. Wisconsin’s bill was brought forward by state Rep. Barb Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, and new Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu acknowledged last week that relations between Republicans in the Assembly and Senate got off to a “rocky” start this session.

Public opinion

Vos argued during his TV appearance that he thinks the proposal is “something that is broadly supported by the public.”

There hasn’t been much polling on this topic; the polling that has been done has yielded inconsistent results.

A March 2021 Morning Consult/Politico poll found that, out of 1,990 registered voters, 36% strongly support such a ban while 19% oppose such a ban. That poll had asked: “As you may know, Mississippi is moving towards banning transgender athletes from participating on women’s sports teams at the state’s high schools and universities. Based on what you know, do you support or oppose banning transgender athletes from competing on women’s sports teams?”

Another March 2021 poll, from Hart Research Associates, asked 1,005 U.S. voters how they felt about the following statement: “Sports are important in young people’s lives. Young transgender people should be allowed opportunities to participate in a way that is safe and comfortable for them.” 55% of respondents said they strongly agreed and another 21% said they somewhat agreed.

A March 2019 poll from Rasmussen Reports found that 51% of American voters oppose “allowing transgender students to participate on the sports teams of the gender they identify with” while 29% supported it.