Arizona and Oklahoma passed bills that would ban transgender youth from participating in women’s sports, the latest in a series of state laws Republicans passed on a hot-button issue in an election year.
In addition to the Republican-sponsored “Save Women’s Sports Act,” Arizona lawmakers have passed legislation that would bar doctors from performing gender-affirming surgeries on minors.
Both bills, which were decided largely along party lines, now head to the desk of Gov. Doug Ducey, also a Republican.
“Why would we be legislating bullying against kids who want to … participate in sports?” Democratic Rep. Kelli Butler said in an emotional dissenting speech on the bill to Arizona lawmakers on Thursday. “That is not the country I know and am proud to be a part of.”
A bill also titled the “Save Women’s Sports Act” passed the Oklahoma Legislature on Thursday.
Supporters of these bans argue that they are necessary to ensure that transgender athletes are not given an unfair advantage in sports. Opponents, including transgender advocates and organizations like the Women’s Sports Foundation, say such measures are discriminatory, and advocate the inclusion of transgender students in school sports.
Arizona also passed a third bill, which would ban abortions after 15 weeks’ gestation, with doctors facing fines of up to $10,000 and license suspension or revocation if they don’t comply.
Governors of states like Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and also Iowa have already passed bills banning transgender girls from competing in women’s sports.
The governors of Utah and Indiana vetoed similar bills this week, signaling the reluctance of some Republican leaders to side with the party that sees this issue as a winning strategy to attract voters ahead of the US midterm elections.