He told reporters moments after the bill passed that he didn't want transgender children “targeted,” and planned to tell GHSA as much.
Republican House Speaker David Ralston of Blue Ridge had blocked putting the ban in law, but agreed to the compromise. Opponents also warned that a ban could violate Title IX of federal education law prohibiting sex discrimination, an executive order signed by Democratic President Joe Biden that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in school sports and elsewhere, as well as rulings by federal courts. Graham suggested that some public school districts whose representatives voted for their policy were defying their own policies that are more welcoming to transgender students. “Their actions, to move so hastily and without consideration of the harms that this will do, without actually researching the complexities and nuances of this issue, will ultimately hurt kids throughout Georgia," said Jeff Graham, the executive director of Georgia Equality, a group that advocates for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. They said they were open to some kind of regulation, but opposed an outright ban.
Opponents said they were surprised that the association acted Wednesday without study, pointing to language in the bill that had seemed to call for a study committee. The passage of the bill was so rushed that many lawmakers didn't have copies of the text and didn't know what they were voting on. The last-minute deal was reached after Kemp prodded lawmakers to act on the final night of Georgia's legislative session. The spotlight swung to GHSA after Georgia lawmakers, unable to agree on a law banning transgender students from playing sports matching their gender identity, passed House Bill 1084 reiterating GHSA’s existing power to regulate the issue. Hines said he's been told that a few transgender athletes have run in boys cross-country, but said the association does not formally track the issue. Proponents of a ban listed no specific examples. It's unclear if any transgender students were participating in sports, though. “This is focusing on athletic equity and competitive balance,” Hines said. GHSA Executive Director Robin Hines said the change just reverts back to the birth certificate rule that existed “forever” before 2016. The association includes public schools and some private schools. Some other states, such as Texas, have banned transgender girls through athletic association policies, as Georgia did.įrom 2016 until now, the Georgia association allowed individual schools and school boards to decide what teams transgender students could play on. Other GOP-led states are considering such bans. Sally Harrell, an Atlanta Democrat and the mother of a transgender child.Īt least 12 Republican-led states have passed laws banning transgender women or girls in sports. “To these very vulnerable trans kids who do appear to have substantial mental health issues, they will receive this as a message of rejection," said state Sen. Opponents said excluding transgender children would send a harmful message to a group that's already vulnerable to suicide or harming themselves. When he signed a bill last week reiterating GHSA's power to ban transgender athletes, Kemp said he wanted to “protect fairness in school sports.” Brian Kemp, running for reelection, embraced a ban. “GHSA's action today recognizes science, reflects reality and restores fairness.” “Everyone should have an opportunity to participate, but the field of play should be fair,” said Cole Muzio, president of the conservative Frontline Policy Council, which lobbied for the action. Proponents of the ban say transgender girls have an unfair advantage because they were born as stronger males and warn that those born as girls could be denied places on the team or on the podium if playing against transgender girls. It will take effect for the next school year, spokesperson Steve Figueroa said. The Georgia High School Association's executive committee, meeting in Thomaston, voted unanimously for the change. ATLANTA - The main athletic association for Georgia high schools voted Wednesday to ban transgender boys and girls from playing on the school sports teams matching their gender identity, saying instead that students must play on teams that match the sex listed on their birth certificates at birth.