Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation banning males from competing in women’s sports at public colleges and universities, she announced Tuesday.
Alabama previously blocked males from women’s sports at the K-12 level in 2021. The new bill restricts athletes from competing in sports leagues that don’t match their birth sex, prohibits penalties against K-12 and collegiate institutions for complying with the new rules and prohibits retaliation against students who report violations.
✍️: I just signed HB261 to protect women’s sports in public colleges and universities.
If you’re a biological male, you are not going to be competing in women’s and girl’s sports in Alabama. It’s about fairness, plain and simple. #alpolitics
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) May 30, 2023
“If you’re a biological male, you are not going to be competing in women’s and girl’s sports in Alabama. It’s about fairness, plain and simple,” Ivey tweeted Tuesday afternoon. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Dr. Ben Carson, Sen. Tuberville Break Down Why They Think Trans Athletes Shouldn’t Compete In Women’s Sports)
The legislation passed in Alabama’s House of Representatives 83-5 April 18 and the state Senate 26-4 May 3.
CAMBRIDGE, MA – FEBRUARY 19: University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas (C) smiles with Yale University swimmer Iszac Henig (right) after winning the 100 yard freestyle during the 2022 Ivy League Womens Swimming and Diving Championships at Blodgett Pool on February 19, 2022 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
The move comes amid a widespread push to limit participation in women’s sports to biological females and exclude biological males who identify as women.
LGBT activist groups have promoted the inclusion of males who identify as transgender women in women’s sports in the name of equality and fairness for transgender people. Males retain a physical advantage over females in strength, stamina and physique even after undergoing testosterone suppression, according to a 2021 report from the Sports Councils Equality Group.
Ivey’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.