Indiana Republicans want to extend ban on males in female sports to college athletics

Indiana lawmakers are looking to expand an existing law that would restrict men from participating in women’s sports at the collegiate level.

House Bill 1041 currently requires sports teams from kindergarten to grade 12 to be designated as male, female, or coed/mixed. Additionally, it “prohibits a male, based on the student’s biological sex at birth in accordance with the student’s genetics and reproductive biology, from participating on an athletic team or sport designated as being a female, women’s, or girls’ athletic team or sport.”

Republican state Reps. Michelle Davis, Chris Jeter, Joanna King, and Robert Heaton are seeking to expand the bill to college athletics in 2025, which would also require any out-of-state schools playing in Indiana to notify their opponents if they have transgender athletes on their teams.

According to Fox News, schools would have to give at least 60 days’ notice.

As with the original legislation, athletes are able to bring civil action against schools for violations of the bill’s provisions if they feel they were robbed of an athletic opportunity or were injured as a result of a violation.

‘It’s important that girls compete against girls and boys against boys.’

When the bill was originally passed in 2022, Republican Governor Eric Holcomb vetoed it, but the veto was overturned by the Indiana General Assembly. According to Advocate, Holcomb argued the issue was a nonexistent problem.

The ACLU of Indiana initiated a lawsuit that led to a preliminary injunction, but the case was later dropped due to a student involved in the lawsuit changing schools.

Rep. Jeter, who co-authored the bill, said it is meant to “protect women’s sports in Indiana.”

Rep. Davis said, “To ensure a level playing field, it’s important that girls compete against girls and boys against boys.”

“As a mother and legislator, I authored this bill because I’ve heard directly from Hoosier parents who want to ensure female athletes have a fair shot at competing and earning recognition,” the Republican added.

The NCAA’s headquarters is located in Indiana’s state capital, Indianapolis. In December, NCAA President Charlie Baker defended himself from inquiries by Republican senators who criticized the NCAA guidelines surrounding transgender athletes.

Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) read from the policy and revealed that “transgender student athletes [are] able to use the locker room, shower, and toilet in accordance with their gender identity.”

“That means men will be able to use the women’s locker room,” Hawley said.

Baker referred to a “federal standard” as the reason why no NCAA policy had been made to restrict transgender athletes but said he was willing to “work with” the government on it.

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