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Gov. Abbott signs controversial women's sports bill
Gov. Abbott signed SB 15, or the "Save Women's Sports" bill, into law today. The law requires athletes at Texas universities to compete on teams corresponding to the student's biological sex at birth, barring trans athletes from competing within their gender identity.
AUSTIN, Texas - Gov. Greg Abbott held a bill signing ceremony at the Capitol to sign SB 15, or the "Save Women's Sports" bill, with several female athletes standing behind him.
"Women's college athletic teams are being threatened. Collegiate records that women set are being threatened. Women's sports. Women's records. Women's teams. Women's dressing rooms all are jeopardized when men are allowed to compete for those teams," said Abbott.
Among those at the ceremony was swimming champion Jeri Shanteau.
"There's really no thinking about why it would be unfair for a male body to compete in the female category of sport. It is just a scientific fact. So they have a biological advantage. Once a boy has gone through male puberty, they are at an advantage over females," said Shanteau.
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The new law expands a similar one passed two years ago that applies to public schools. Those opposed to the legislation say the law is not needed because it’s not a big problem in Texas.
"They're just trying to win political points and they're just trying to appease their people," said Mack Beggs.
Beggs was born a girl and underwent gender reassignment. He was a wrestler and his story made national news because the state required him to compete in the girls category, despite wanting to compete against boys. Beggs considers the claim that trans athletes can have an unfair advantage is a myth.
"Honestly, it's just, it's honestly just stupid. Like, if you're an athlete, like, you shouldn't matter. Like, wouldn't you want the sport to grow or you would want to be the best athlete to the best of your ability," said Beggs.
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Shanteau disagrees with that assessment.
"We are not trying to take away from anyone else. It is a matter of ensuring that, again, the safety, privacy and fairness for females," said Shanteau.
The signing ceremony follows a lawsuit the state of Texas filed Wednesday against the Biden administration. The fight is about how federal officials claim Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Biden administration has threatened to withhold federal funding from states like Texas if they do not let trans athletes compete in the sports classification based on their gender identity. The lawsuit Texas has filed in response claims federal officials are misusing their federal regulatory power.