Originally published on April 22, 2021 3:34 pm
A House bill that passed a floor vote would effectively ban transgender women and girls from playing on female school sports teams. Its Senate companion requires these individuals to undergo hormone therapy if they want to compete on a team that aligns with their gender identity. But the Senate sponsor, Sen. Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland), offered an amendment that would conform her bill more to the House version. The Southern Poverty Law Center s Carrie Boyd says the proposal is an attack on transgender youth. It denies children the critical life lessons that sports can teach them like leadership, teamwork, dedication, and we decided long ago in this country that discrimination is wrong, and everyone should have the same opportunities for development and success in this life, Boyd says.