BATON ROUGE (LifeSiteNews) – The Louisiana legislature has enacted a law to protect women’s sports from “transgender” males without Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards’ signature.
The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, enacted Monday, requires K-12 schools and universities to designate sports teams by biological sex. The law, pointing out the biological differences between men and women, states that “strength, speed and endurance” is found in “greater degrees in biological males than biological females,” and adds that a year of hormonal intervention does not effectively remove those differences.
In a letter to the Louisiana Senate, Governor Edwards, a self-identified Catholic, explained his opposition to the law, saying that it “unfairly targets” gender-confused student athletes. “Nevertheless, the legislature has made it clear over the last two regular legislative sessions that it believes the policy of the state should be to treat these children differently than who they really are.”
The Catholic Church teaches that God creates individuals either male or female, regardless of a person’s confused identity.
RELATED: Indiana lawmakers override GOP governor’s veto, ban ‘transgender’ men from women’s sports
Edwards, claiming that he knew that the Louisiana legislature would have enough votes to override his veto, allowed the law to be enacted. “It was obvious to me after two years it was going to become law whether or not I signed or vetoed the bill,” Edwards explained.
The issue of gender-confused athletes in sports has gained increased attention in recent months in light of William “Lia” Thomas’ “victory” at a National College Athletics Association (NCAA) swim meet in March. Thomas, a biological male, identifies as a lesbian. Thomas was brought up during debate in the Louisiana House, according to USA Today.
NCAA has received criticism from women who had to swim against Thomas and from a group of former Olympians and coaches, asking the organization to “rectify” the situation caused by Thomas’ “victory.”
READ: Georgia the latest state to crack down on ‘transgender’ males in girls’ sports
UPDATE (1/29/21) - On day one of the new administration, Biden signed an Executive Order dismantling girls sports, and allowing biological boys back into girls locker-rooms.
The order declares: "Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the rest room, the locker room, or school sports. . . . All persons should receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation."
This affront to reason effectively signals an end to girls' and women's sports, and diminishes their effort to compete on a level playing field.
Though this petition has already been delivered once, we will deliver new signatures to the US Dept of Education when restrictions permit, in honor of Selina Soule, who filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in 2019.
UPDATE (5/29/20) - US Dep’t of Education: Letting males compete in girls’ sports violates female athletes’ civil rights
UPDATE (2/13/20) - Selina Soule and two other Connecticut high school girl track athletes, Alanna Smith and Chelsea Mitchell, have sued the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) to stop boys who claim to be girls from competing in their sport.
Soule is the same high school girl who, last year, filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). That complaint is still ongoing, as the OCR has not yet handed down its guidance ruling.
This also explains why this petition is still ongoing. Please SIGN and SHARE.
But, with another track season soon coming to an end, the girls' attorneys have asked the Court for an injunction that would stop the CIAC from implementing its current policy while the lawsuit proceeds.
Soule, Smith, and Mitchell will soon run in regional and state meets, competing for state championships. This year, they would like to have the opportunity to win, fair and square.
Please learn more about the latest news concerning this case, here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/three-girls-sue-state-to-stop-boys-who-say-theyre-girls-from-competing-in-their-sport
Then, please SIGN this petition. Thank you!
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Selina Soule is a female athlete who now must compete against biological males because of Connecticut's policy requiring that boys who identify as girls be admitted into girls' sports competitions.
But, when boys compete in girls' sports, they win because they have a natural advantage. It's scientifically proven, and it's also common sense.
This crushes the motivation of the biological girls who have worked hard to compete on a level playing field, only to enter into competitions which they can never win, despite all of their efforts.
It also puts girls into harm's way in contact sports, AND it deprives female athletes of their right to fairly compete for college scholarships and other accolades.
This is wrong! And, that's why this URGENT petition supports Selina and all the other female athletes out there, who have put in the hours on the track or on the court.
Please SIGN this common sense petition supporting Selina Soule's complaint to the Dept of Education's Office for Civil Rights, against Connecticut's discriminatory policy.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/high-school-girl-files-federal-complaint-for-having-to-race-boys
*Above photo credit: Michael Goodin / The Daily Signal
Thomas, appearing on Good Morning America late last month, denied any advantages he may have while competing against female swimmers. Thomas’ claims contradict evidence that shows that the participation of gender-confused men in women’s sports threatens their integrity, according to a recent study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Louisiana joins states like Arizona and Oklahoma that have enacted similar laws. In Utah and Indiana, the state legislatures had enough votes to override the vetoes of their Republican governors.
The Pennsylvania Senate passed a similar bill late Tuesday, but Democratic Governor Tom Wolf promised to veto the legislation, pending a vote in the Pennsylvania House.
RELATED:
Democratic Louisiana gov. vetoes bipartisan transgender sports bill