‘Transphobic … Won’t Pass My Desk’: Dem PA Gov. Attacks Bill Passed That Bars Men In Women’s Sports

Hank BerrienApril 13, 2022

On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted to ban biological males from competing in female sports, but the Democratic governor, who called the bill “transphobic,” threatened that if the legislation passed, “It won’t pass my desk.”

House Bill 972, titled the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, passed in the House by a vote of 115-84 and now heads for the state Senate, where SB 1191, similar in intent, is being considered.

KB 972 states:

Providing for sports activities in public institutions of higher education and public school entities to be expressly designated male, female or coed; and creating causes of action for harms suffered by designation. … Athletic teams for sports designated for females, women or girls under subsection (a) (2) may not be open to students of the male sex. …

A student who is deprived of an athletic opportunity or who suffers a direct or indirect harm as a result of a known violation of section 3 may bring a cause of action for injunctive relief, damages, psychological, emotional and physical harm suffered, attorney fees and costs and any other relief available under the law against the school or institution of higher education. …

A person may not bring a civil action under this section later than two years after the day on which the harm underlying the cause of action occurs.

Democrat Governor Tom Wolf railed against the bill on Tuesday, tweeting, “As states across the country push transphobic legislation, some Republicans in the General Assembly are wasting time attempting the same in Pennsylvania. It won’t get past my desk.”

As states across the country push transphobic legislation, some Republicans in the General Assembly are wasting time attempting the same in Pennsylvania.

It won’t get past my desk.

Let’s enhance protections for LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians instead. Send me the bipartisan Fairness Act. pic.twitter.com/Srj8JBsJwn

— Governor Tom Wolf (@GovernorTomWolf) April 12, 2022

“Wolf instead called for the state legislature to pass House Bill 300, known as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act or Fairness Act, which would amend the state’s 1955 Human Relations Act to include protect residents in the state from being discriminated against based on ‘sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression,’” Fox News reported.

But the bill’s chief sponsor, Republican state Rep. Barbara Gleim, who cited University of Pennsylvanian swimmer Lia Thomas, the biological man who recently won the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA Women’s championships, stated bluntly, “Women lose out on a fair playing field when forced to compete against biological men.”

Wolf has stated of Rachel Levine, the biological man who serves as the United States assistant secretary for Health and Human Services, “Dr. Levine is a distinguished and accomplished public servant. She is committed to keeping Pennsylvanians safe and healthy, even those who direct hate-fueled attacks at her. I’m proud of the work she has done in her five years serving Pennsylvanians, and her success at leading our commonwealth during the COVID-19 crisis is a testament to her intelligence and work ethic.”

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