• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / News / Reynolds says ban on trans athletes in girls sports a fairness issue

Reynolds says ban on trans athletes in girls sports a fairness issue

February 16, 2022 By O. Kay Henderson

Gov. Reynolds. (RI photo)

Governor Kim Reynolds is likely to sign legislation that would limit participation in girls’ sports to students who have female marked on their birth certificates, but she’s withholding a definite answer until the bill reaches her desk.

“I said it’s a fairness issue last year and if it landed on my desk, depending on what it said, I would probably sign it, so I believe it is a fairness issue,” Reynolds said during a news conference yesterday. “I believe if we don’t do something it does start to eliminate girls’ sports. That was set up for a reason way back when. I don’t know if we’re trying to erase history, once again, but it is a fairness issue.”

Nine other states have enacted laws that prevent transgender athletes who identify as female from competing in girls’ sports and similar legislation cleared a committee in the Iowa House Monday night. Critics of the bill say it discriminates against transgender girls and amounts to state-sanctioned bullying of kids who are at greater risk of depression and suicide.

In April of last year, Reynolds said letting biological males who identify as females compete in volleyball, softball and other girls’ sports in Iowa is unfair and she repeated that message yesterday.

“Girls have dreams and aspirations of earning a scholarship to help pay for college,” Reynolds said. “Girls have dreams and aspirations of one day, you know, competing in the Olympics.”

The bill allows girls to sue if they are harmed directly or indirectly by a school that allows transgender athletes to participate in girls’ sports. The leader of a national suicide prevention group for transgender youth says the legislation uses LGBTQ kids as political pawns and will lead to further isolation for a small group of students.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Kim Reynolds

Featured Stories

All bodies of missing now recovered from rubble of collapsed Davenport building

Governor signs child care expansion into law

Iowa seniors have until July 1 to apply for new property tax break

Smoke from distant fires creates colorful sunrise in Iowa

DOT’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division to merge into State Patrol

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

What may be rare Michael Jordan trading card found in unclaimed deposit box

Hawkeye women to play Virginia Tech

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 6/5/23

Iowa eliminated at NCAA regional

Iowa names Beth Goetz interim AD

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC