Florida governor bans transgender women from school sports
Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, signed a bill on Tuesday prohibiting transgender women and girls from participating on public school sports teams in Florida. The legislation, which take effect on July 1st, applies to both high school and college sports in the state of Florida.
Earlier this year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) stated that it "firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports." The NCAA went on to warn that only host locations that commit to providing a safe environment will be selected for games and tournaments.
Controversy among activists and politicians
Human Rights Campaign President, Alphonso David, said this law will both harm transgender and girls as well as the economy, as sports tournaments bring a lot of revenue into local communities.
"All Floridians will have to face the consequences of this anti-transgender legislation- including economic harm, expensive taxpayer-funded legal battles, and a tarnished reputation."
According to the governor, the bill - signed at the Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida - was created to protect the integrity of women and girls' sports. However, many see this as a discriminatory attack on the transgender community and a step away from inclusivity.
Majority of Democrats and activists argue that this ban, called the 'Fairness in Women's Sports Act,' goes against human rights laws and shall be considered unconstitutional.
In Florida, we’re going to do what’s right and we won’t be cowed by pressure from woke corporations. They will not dictate the policies in Florida – not now, not ever. Florida will stand strong and protect women's sports and opportunities.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) June 1, 2021
Watch more: https://t.co/tX9Iqit5uw pic.twitter.com/B4tohDyHZd
DeSantis does not agree with this sentiment. He stated that "In Florida, girls are going to play girls' sports, and boys are going to play boys' sports."
A similar law was recently passed in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
The Start of Pride Month
Today marks a difficult start to Pride Month. Human rights activists and civil rights organizations have stated that more progress needs to be made in the fight for equality.
We're suing to protect trans kids in Florida. pic.twitter.com/rVE1fbFae2
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) June 2, 2021