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<\/p>\nU.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) sharply criticized 218 of her colleagues, accusing them of being \u201cbigots\u201d after the Republican-led House passed legislation banning male, \u201ctransgender-identifying\u201d athletes from competing in women\u2019s and girls\u2019 sports at federally funded schools and institutions. Two Democrats, Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, sided with Republicans in voting for the bill, while Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina voted \u201cpresent.\u201d The legislation now heads to the Republican-controlled Senate.<\/p>\n
During the previous session of Congress, House Republicans approved a similar bill in a 219-203 vote split strictly along party lines. However, the Democrat-controlled Senate at the time did not consider the measure. This time, Republicans are optimistic about its chances, citing growing public support for bans on men competing in women\u2019s sports and restrictions on gender reassignment surgeries for minors. According to Gallup\u2019s 2023 \u201cValues and Beliefs\u201d poll, 69% of Americans supported a ban on men competing in women\u2019s sports. Similarly, a survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in the summer of 2023 found that 66% of respondents opposed allowing men and boys to compete in women\u2019s and girls\u2019 sports.<\/p>\n
The bill would bar \u201ctransgender women and girls\u201d from joining sports teams that align with their gender identity. Instead, federal law would be amended to require that sex be defined solely based on a person\u2019s reproductive biology and genetics at birth under Title IX policies. Title IX, initially established to prevent sex-based discrimination in federally funded educational programs, has been a point of contention after President Biden attempted to expand its scope to include additional protections for transgender and LGBTQ+ individuals. However, a federal judge recently struck down Biden\u2019s amendment, ruling that it exceeded the president\u2019s authority.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis legislation reflects our commitment to common sense and what is fundamentally right,\u201d House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated after the bill\u2019s passage. \u201cScripture and nature affirm that men are men and women are women\u2014biological facts that cannot be changed. It\u2019s unfortunate we even need to clarify this.\u201d Johnson highlighted safety concerns, noting that allowing biological men to compete against women poses risks to girls\u2019 safety and undermines fairness in sports. \u201cIt\u2019s dangerous, it\u2019s unfair, and it\u2019s a rejection of reality. Today, the House reaffirmed common sense by voting to ensure schools receiving federal funding respect the original intent of Title IX and keep biological men out of women\u2019s sports.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite gaining some Democratic support this time, Republicans will still need additional backing in the Senate for the legislation to become law.<\/p>\n
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While House Republicans succeeded in gaining support from two Democrats, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez emerged as one of the most vocal opponents of the legislation during the House floor debate. \u201cHere we are today with Republicans who have consistently voted against the Violence Against Women Act, who have stripped away women\u2019s rights to choose and have control over their own bodies, and who stand idly by while we are left to die\u2014suddenly pretending to care about women,\u201d the progressive Democrat exclaimed.<\/p>\n
Ocasio-Cortez accused supporters of the bill of targeting transgender girls, stating emphatically, \u201cI have two words for this: not today.\u201d<\/p>\n
She criticized the legislation for lacking an enforcement mechanism, arguing that such gaps create opportunities for discriminatory enforcement. \u201cTrans girls are girls,\u201d she said, addressing proponents of the bill. \u201cFor all the folks suddenly concerned about women\u2019s well-being, thank you for your newfound interest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ocasio-Cortez went on to challenge the underlying premises of the bill, even suggesting that men and women are equal in athletic ability, drawing from her experiences in \u201cgym class\u201d and co-ed sports. \u201cWhat this bill really does is force women to conform to a narrow definition of femininity created by the same men drafting it,\u201d she asserted. \u201cIt opens the door to questioning what defines a woman\u2014based on appearance, presentation, and personal choices.\u201d<\/p>\n
She concluded with a sharp critique of the bill\u2019s supporters, saying, \u201cI know who loves this bill: bigots love this bill. Assaulters love this bill.\u201d Her remarks underscored her belief that the legislation promotes discrimination rather than fairness in women\u2019s sports.<\/p>\n
Despite opposition from AOC and her allies on the far-left, a growing number of Democrats have been questioning party messaging on the issue in the aftermath of President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s re-election victory. Former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred stated that he was opposed to men competing in women\u2019s sports during his unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate, while Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) drew the ire of fellow Democrats for questioning the party\u2019s emphasis on social issues.\u00a0\u201cDemocrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face,\u201d Moulton\u00a0told\u00a0the\u00a0New York Times<\/em>\u00a0after the election. \u201cI have two little girls, I don\u2019t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I\u2019m supposed to be afraid to say that.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite his statement, Moulton voted against the legislation on Tuesday.<\/p>\n