A South Dakota legislative committee has approved a bill championed by Gov. Kristi Noem to ban transgender women and girls from participating in school sports leagues that match their gender identity.
“As a parent, I don’t really care if she becomes an elite athlete, but I want her to have the experiences of being on a team,” said Jennifer Phalen of her transgender daughter who aspires to participate in school gymnastics.
But lawmakers have used as ammunition the Pennsylvania case of a 22-year-old transgender woman who has had a dominant year swimming for the University of Pennsylvania, as proof that trans athletes possess an unfair advantage over their competition. Groups representing public schools said politicians are forcing them to choose between violating state law or federal policy. The Associated School Boards warned that schools could lose federal funds if an investigation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found them to have violated students' rights.
Noem last year shied away from signing a similar bill, issuing a “style and form veto” and arguing that it was flawed because it put the state at risk of litigation and retribution from the NCAA. Noem warming to the issue shows the growing clout of social conservatives in the GOP and their ability to cajole politicians into supporting legislation that discriminates against LGBTQ people.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
South Dakota man arrested after his mom accidentally serves his pot brownies to senior citizens“An investigation into the incident led me to believe that the patients were all under the influence of THC from a batch of brownies that were brought to the Community Center” by the suspect’s mother, the affidavit said.
Read more »
South African Police Launch Investigation into Alleged Crypto FraudSeveral months after 69,000 bitcoins disappeared from a South African exchange, the police have opened an investigation.
Read more »
Maine South starting to play its best basketballOne of the Northwest suburbs' girls basketball teams currently on the biggest roll is Maine South, which has won eight of its last nine games through Monday.
Read more »
South Side Church Hosting Free Vaccination Clinic, Offering Gift Cards With Every ShotGreater Mount Vernon Baptist Church, at 8700 S. Laflin St., is hosting a free vaccination event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Read more »
‘South Park’ Season 25 Gets Premiere Date at Comedy Central“South Park” has received its Season 25 premiere date from Comedy Central. The show, which aired two standalone specials in September 2020 and March 2021 that served as Season 24, last …
Read more »