by Eric Lendrum
On Thursday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (R-Iowa) signed a bill that will completely ban so-called “transgender” individuals from competing in girls’ and women’s sports, forcing them to remain with the teams of their actual biological gender.
The Hill reports that the bill, House File 2416, had previously passed the Iowa State House in February and was passed by the State Senate on Wednesday. Both chambers are controlled by Republican majorities.
The new law declares that “only female students, based on their sex, may participate in any team, sport, or athletic event designated as being for females, women, or girls.” The bill clearly defines “sex” as the “biological sex” listed on the individual’s birth certificate, and encompasses sports teams at all levels of school, community college, and college.
When signing the bill, Reynolds – the first female governor in Iowa’s history – pointed out that the bill was a matter of “fairness,” since alleged “transgender” students, particularly men who “transition” into women, often have unfair physical advantages over real women due to the genetics of their original gender.
One of the most prominent examples in recent years is Penn State University swimmer “Lia” Thomas, a man formerly known as Will, who decided to become a woman and participate on the women’s swimming team; since doing so, Thomas has shattered numerous records previously held by real women, leading to criticism from other women on the team who feel it is unfair to compete alongside a man, and have also expressed concerns about sharing a locker room with him.
The Left’s attempted mainstreaming of transgenderism as not a mental illness, but a “sexuality,” has led to backlash from conservatives across the country. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) recently issued an order to the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services calling on authorities to investigate any parents or guardians who force children to go through “transitioning” procedures, such as surgery or hormone blockers, for child abuse.
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Eric Lendrum reports for American Greatness.
Photo “Kim Reynolds” by Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 3.0.
