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 GHSA has 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 typically 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 GHSA's executive committee voted unanimously for the change on Wednesday. The Georgia High School Athletic Association (GHSA), the main governing body for Georgia high schools sports, 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.