MN House Rejects Bill Banning Trans Athletes from Competing in Girls’ Sports

Legislation to keep transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports in Minnesota fell short of passing in the state House of Representatives on Monday.

House File 12, also referred to as the “Preserving Girls’ Sports Act,” needed 68 votes to pass. It received 67 votes. All Republicans voted for the bill while all Democrats voted against it.

“House File 12 is straightforward and common sense,” said Republican Rep. Harry Niska, House Majority Leader. “It ensures that girls’ sports remain fair and competitive by preventing biological males from competing in female events. We have seen far too many cases of female athletes losing championships, losing scholarships, losing records because they were forced to compete against biologically male athletes that have an inherent advantage because of their biology. We’ve also heard tragic stories of young women suffering injuries and contact sports under these conditions. That is not fairness, and that is unsafe. Members, this should not be a controversial proposal.”

“Think about this for a minute. It’s not easy, I think, being a trans person and having this struggle with your gender identity,” said DFL Rep. Larry Kraft of St. Louis Park. “So you have a kid that has made this difficult decision with you as a parent and decides to transition and and become a girl. And they’ve transitioned their identity. It’s made them feel better, feel [they’re] part of something. They’re making friends, they’re working through stuff, and they decide to go play a sport. And then you’re going to tell them, ‘You know what? No, you have to play on the boys team’? Think about that.”

“We haven’t heard a single piece of testimony in committee or on the floor of an actual problem being caused by trans girls in sports,” said DFL Rep. Leigh Finke of St. Paul, the state’s first openly transgender lawmaker. “There’s been a lot of feelings. A lot of people are nervous. A lot of parents think it might be bad for kids. But you know what? We haven’t heard a single person say, ‘This happened on my kids team and it’s a problem.'”

Before the vote started, Republican Rep. Peggy Scott of Andover, the bill’s author, said, “We did hear in committee from brave young girls that came to testify about injuries. I remember one girl was shoved to the ground by a male on the opponent on the opposing side, breaking her wrist in three places. Don’t say that it’s not happening.”

It’s not clear how many transgender athletes are competing in Minnesota high school sports, as the Minnesota State High School League does not require schools to report transgender athletes.