Georgia State Rep. Phillip Singleton (R-Sharpsburg) has submitted legislation that he said will preserve female-only sports in Georgia.
Specifically, Singleton’s bill would outlaw schools from allowing students whose gender is male from participating in an athletic program designed for females.
Singleton — flanked by female athletes from all over the state, in addition to his 10-year-old daughter Emma — spoke about the bill at the Georgia State Capitol this week.
“My daughter Emma deserves to compete on a level-playing field. She deserves the opportunity to experience the thrill of victory,” Singleton said.
Singleton said that under his bill any student deprived of an athletic opportunity or who suffers direct or indirect harm when schools violate his proposed law could seek injunctive relief and legal damages.
“In 1972 Title IX was established to stop discrimination and to create equal athletic opportunity for girls. Before Title IX only one in 27 girls participated in sports. Since Title IX that number is almost two in five. It’s a significant difference. Girls who play sports are less likely to be involved in unintended pregnancies. More likely to get better grades. More likely to graduate than girls who don’t play in sports. They have a lower chance for depression. Less risk of breast cancer. Higher self-esteem. And less social anxiety. Ninety-six percent of all female CEOs played sports,” Singleton said.
“In athletic competition our daughters learn the power of preparation. The pain of defeat, and the empowerment of success. If we ignore biological reality, if we ignore the science [then] our daughters get hurt.”
Singleton said that too many girls are losing medals, podium spots, public recognition, scholarships, and other opportunities to compete.
“Let me explain. Since 2017 the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference has allowed males to compete in girls’ athletic competitions based on their gender identity. As a result, two male athletes identified as female have dominated the field, winning 15 women’s track championship titles since then. Titles formerly held by nine different female athletes. Because of this policy, girls have lost more than 85 opportunities to participate in higher levels of competition, and two males now hold 17 individual records in the state of Connecticut. Those are records that biological females have very little hope of ever beating. This is just one example in one state,” Singleton said.
“Allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports spells the end of girls’ sports. Science tells us that males are generally bigger, faster, and stronger than females, regardless of post-birth hormones or surgical treatments. They have larger hearts, lungs, denser bones, and stronger muscles.”
Singleton went on to say that he does not concern himself with how any one person identifies their gender.
“We believe every single athlete should have the opportunity to compete and there is no place for identity politics or discrimination of any type in sports,” Singleton said.
“This is about biology and physiology, not psychology or sociology. This is about protecting our daughters, our sisters, and our mothers.”
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
