The Ohio House Higher Education Committee recently passed the “Save Women’s Sports Act” that ensures that biological males cannot compete in female-only sports statewide, propelling the legislation forward towards a full House vote. Lawmakers anticipate a full Ohio House on the measure as early as this week.
The Ohio House Higher Education Committee passed the legislation by an 8-6 vote with all five Democrats on the committee and State Representative Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville) voting against the bill.
The measure, known as House Bill (HB) 6 sponsored by State Representative Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) aims to preserve women’s rights and the integrity of women’s and girls’ sports by requiring schools, higher education state institutions, and private colleges to designate separate single-sex teams and sports for each sex.
Rep. Powell introduced the legislation in February saying that it’s a fairness issue.
“The Save Women’s Sports Act is a fairness issue for women to be able to achieve their dreams in athletics in our state, and is crucial to preserving women’s rights, and the integrity of women’s and girls’ sports,” Rep. Powell said.
Powell has remarked that discriminatory policies that let biological males to participate in girls’ sports are currently denying opportunities to female athletes. In Connecticut, nine different females previously held the 15 women’s state champion crowns. In 2020, two different biological males held each of those 15 titles.
“All that girls are asking for is a fair shot, and to be given the chance to play and win by the rules in the sports that they love. That opportunity is being ripped from them by biological males,” Rep. Powell said.
Powell has also argued that federal lawmakers passed Title IX in recognition of the physiological advantages that biological males have over females, such as larger hearts, larger lungs, higher red blood cell counts, stronger tendons and ligaments, stronger muscles, and higher bone density.
Riley Gaines, a swimmer, is one of the many American women who have begun speaking out against the unfairness of biological men taking advantage of them in female sporting events.
“I thought surely there would be someone, whether that be a coach, or another swimmer, or someone within the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association), I thought surely someone would stick up for us. That’s when I realized it’s my duty as a female athlete who experienced this injustice to really use my voice and my platform to advocate for those female athletes who are emotionally blackmailed and gaslit into silence,” Gains said.
The Center for Christian Virtue applauded the committee’s passage of HB6.
“This bill protects female high school and college athletes from being required to compete against or share locker rooms with biological male athletes. The bill now heads to the House Chamber for a floor vote. Be in prayer for this important legislation,” the Center for Christian Virtue said.
Nationwide, 21 legislatures have passed and enacted their versions of the Save Women’s Sports Act bill.
Last year, the Ohio bill came close to passing the House and Senate before dying after lawmakers attached it to a plan overhauling education that received mixed reviews from lawmakers.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Gayle Manning” by The Ohio House of Representatives. Photo “Jena Powell” by The Ohio House of Representatives. Background Photo “Swimmers” by cottonbro studio.
