Indiana lawmakers are seeking to extend the prohibition on biological male athletes competing in boys’ and men’s sports.
The current law in the state, established in 2022, already bars individuals assigned male at birth from participating in sports against girls from kindergarten through high school. Recently, Republican lawmakers Michelle Davis, Chris Jeter, Joanna King, and Robert Heaton introduced a bill to expand this restriction to include college teams.
“To maintain fair competition, it’s essential for girls to compete with girls and boys with boys,” stated Davis in a comment to the Indy Star. “As both a mother and a legislator, I authored this bill based on the concerns expressed by Hoosier parents who want to ensure that female athletes have equal opportunities to compete and receive recognition.”
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The state capitol building in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, on a sunny spring morning. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Indianapolis, the state’s capital, is where the NCAA’s headquarters are situated.
The proposed legislation would compel out-of-state teams comprising a transgender athlete to inform their Indiana opponents of this athlete at least 60 days in advance. Athletes are also granted the right to take legal action against their school if they believe an opportunity was denied to them or if they were harmed due to a potential violation of the law.
Jeter, one of the bill’s co-authors, emphasized that the aim is to “safeguard women’s sports in Indiana.”
Three years ago, Governor Eric Holcomb vetoed the original bill, but the Indiana General Assembly overruled his decision. Holcomb, a Republican, will soon leave office as a result of term limits, with fellow Republican Mike Braun set to succeed him.
Shortly following Holcomb’s veto, a federal judge in Indiana ruled that a transgender student must be permitted to use the boys’ restroom at a local middle school.
Transgender athlete supporter Kyle Harp, left, of Riverside holds the progress pride flag as “Save Girls Sports” supporters Lori Lopez and her dad Pete Pickering, both of Riverside, listen to the debate as they join the overflow crowd converging outside the Riverside Unified School District meeting Thursday night to debate the rights of transgender athletes to compete in high school sports, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Recently, NCAA president Charlie Baker addressed women’s college athletes who may feel uncomfortable sharing locker rooms with transgender athletes, placing the responsibility for their safety on the athletes themselves.
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on legalized sports gambling, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., questioned Baker about the NCAA’s policies allowing trans athletes to compete on women’s teams. Hawley challenged Baker regarding the NCAA policy stating that “transgender student athletes should be able to use the locker room, shower, and toilet facilities according to their gender identity.”
Baker, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts, responded by stating that other athletes have the choice to seek alternative accommodations if they are uncomfortable.
President of the NCAA, Charlie Baker speaks during a press conference celebrating the 25-year anniversary of the NCAA moving its national office to Indianapolis on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, at the NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis. (Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar / USA Today Network)
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The NCAA faced national controversy when trans volleyball player Blaire Fleming helped San Jose State University reach the Mountain West championship match.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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