A new legislation banning biological males from participating in women's sports became law in Louisiana after the Democratic governor failed to veto or sign it.
Louisiana is officially the 18th state in America to pass legislation that bars biological males from participating in female school sports competitions after its Democratic governor refused to sign or veto the measure. Gov. John Bel Edwards did not veto or sign the legislation within 10 days of the Senate Secretary submitting Fairness in Women's Sports Act (S.B. 44) to his desk, which meant that the bill would automatically pass, as dictated by Louisiana state laws.
The Christian Post reported that on May 23, the Senate overwhelmingly voted 32 to 6 to pass the bill, with almost half of all Senate Democrats joining all Republicans in pushing for the law. A week prior, the House of Representatives also showed an overwhelming vote of 72 to 21 in favor of the bill, with some Democrats joining Republicans in approving it. On May 25, the Secretary of the Senate submitted the bill to Gov. Edwards, just days after the Senate and House of Representatives approved it.
New Louisiana Law Bans Biological Males from Competing Against Females in Sports
The Fairness in Women's Sports Act now requires public schools and some state-funded private elementary and secondary schools, and colleges to designate sports teams by biological sex, which the law defines as what is indicated "on the student's official birth certificate which is entered at or near the time of the student's birth." The measure also allows biological females the sue if a violation of the measure made them feel they were "deprived of an athletic opportunity."
The bill states that it was designed to "ensure that women are free from discrimination on the basis of sex in both education and athletics" and that they could be "afforded the opportunity to compete for athletic scholarships" that would eventually launch their own athletic careers. According to ABC News, the new Louisiana measure cites the biological differences between the two sexes, claiming that "strength, speed, and endurance" are generally found in "greater degrees in biological males than biological females."
The measure also cites that hormone therapy following puberty is not effective until more than a year after treatment begins. However, it does not reference puberty blockers, which many trans youth use to temporarily suspend puberty.
Governor Fails to Veto Bill as Trans Activists Label the Measure as an 'Attack'
Gov. Edwards opposed the Louisiana legislation prohibiting biological males from competing in women's sports but has expressed that he would allow the bill to become law without his signature. The Hill reported that during a press conference on Monday, he described the passing of the Fairness in Women's Sports Act into law as "unfortunate."
Meanwhile, the Human Right Campaign denounced the new Louisiana bill as "a direct attack on transgender youth." Louisiana Family Forum President Gene Mills defended the bill, arguing that biological males competing in women's sports "runs contrary to what Louisiana values."
Related Article: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Bill Banning Biological Males From Women's Sports
