Following powerful testimonies from female athletes who have competed alongside and shared locker rooms with transgender athletes, a Georgia state Senate committee approved the Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act on Thursday. This legislation mandates that athletes participate in sports according to their biological sex assigned at birth.
If enacted, Georgia would join 25 other states with laws aimed at regulating or prohibiting transgender athletes' participation in women's sports. The issue gained prominence in Georgia after the state hosted the 2022 NCAA women's swimming championships, where transgender swimmer Lia Thomas competed.
Riley Gaines, an Independent Women’s Forum spokesperson and former University of Kentucky swimmer, tied with Lia Thomas for fifth place in the 200-meter freestyle finals at the 2022 NCAA championships. Gaines has been outspoken about her experience. Former North Carolina State swimmer Kylee Alons, a decorated athlete with numerous All-American titles and NCAA championships, also testified about competing with and sharing locker room facilities with Thomas.
Alons described the experience as a "giant social experiment" imposed by the NCAA, forcing female athletes to endure unfair competition. She expressed her distress at witnessing other women lose opportunities due to Thomas's participation, even feeling compelled to leave the event after Thomas's 500-meter freestyle victory. "It all felt so off and wrong," Alons stated.
Another swimmer, Kaitlynn Wheeler, also from the University of Kentucky, echoed Lyons' sentiments about the locker room situation. She described feeling uncomfortable and exposed, expected to suppress her feelings and accept the situation without complaint. Both Wheeler and Lyons are part of an ongoing lawsuit against the NCAA, spearheaded by Riley Gaines, challenging the organization's policies on gender identity in sports.
While the bill received support from many, it also faced opposition from parents, doctors, and others. Dr. Jodi Greenwald, a pediatrician, argued against the bill, emphasizing the vulnerability of transgender youth and the increased risk of suicide within this demographic. Despite the opposition, the Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act passed the committee vote 8-3. Lt. Gov. Bill Jones celebrated the outcome, stating, "Biological men do not belong in women’s sports, period."
This legislation aligns with a broader national conversation, with a federal bill – the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act – also under consideration in Congress. This federal bill aims to withhold funding from educational institutions that permit transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. The House of Representatives passed this bill with bipartisan support from two Democrats, while the majority of House Democrats opposed it. A recent New York Times/Ipsos poll revealed that a significant majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, believe transgender athletes should not compete in women's sports.
