The Republican-led House on Thursday passed a bill that would ban federally supported schools and colleges from allowing transgender athletes whose biological sex assigned at birth was male to participate in girls’ or women’s sports teams.

The legislation, approved by a vote of 219 to 203, is unlikely to move forward because the Democrat-led Senate will not support it and the White House said President Biden would veto it.

Proponents said the legislation, which would put offenders at risk of losing tax dollars, is necessary to ensure fair competition. They proposed the vote to support female athletes who are disadvantaged by having to compete against those whose gender identification does not match the gender assigned at birth. Opponents criticized the bill as it would ban an already vulnerable group for political gain.

The House action comes as at least 20 other states have imposed similar limits on trans athletes at the K-12 or collegiate level.

The bill would amend groundbreaking civil rights legislation passed more than 50 years ago. The amendment would prohibit recipients of federal money from allowing a person of male gender to participate in an athletic program or activity designed for women or girls. The bill defines sex as based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.

The sponsor, Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.), highlighted the case of Emma Weyant, a resident of his district and member of the 2020 U.S. Olympic swim team, who finished last in the NCAA Women’s 500-meter Freestyle Championships. year. She was defeated by Lia Thomas, who had competed on the University of Pennsylvania men’s swim team for three years before joining the women’s team.

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The integrity of women’s sport must be protected, Steube said.

Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.) said every time a man takes a job in the pool or on the starting line, a female athlete loses the chance to compete.

We are in a battle for the survival of women’s sport, Bean said.

Democrats said every child, regardless of gender identity, deserves the chance to be on a team and that if competitors don’t, the message is sent that they don’t matter.

Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who has a transgender daughter, said Republicans cruelly scapegoated transgender children to score political points. She said three-quarters of transgender students report experiencing harassment or discrimination at school and many have considered suicide.

These bills are telling some of the most vulnerable children in our country that they don’t belong,” Jayapal said. ‘Shame on you.

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said most people in the United States don’t know anyone who is transgender and that this can create fears for politicians to exploit. The bill, he said, does nothing to address the serious disparities in resources for men’s and women’s sports.

He emphasized the position of the Republican governor of Utah. Spencer Cox, who last year vetoed a bill that would ban transgender students from playing girls’ sports. Cox said, I struggled to understand so much of it, and the science is contradictory. However, when in doubt, I always try to side with kindness, mercy and compassion.”

Pocan noted that there were four transgender people in Utah at the time of the veto

student layers

of the 85,000

athletes statewide

participating in high school sports, with only one competing in girls’ sports.

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That’s your raging national problem, Pocan said. What is the Republican response to this non-existent problem? Hurting children because they are children.

In a message this week threatening to veto, the White House said being part of a team is an important part of growing up, staying involved in school, and learning leadership and life skills. It said a national ban that does not take competitiveness or level into account targets people for who they are and is discriminatory.

The administration also issued a rule that would prevent any school or college that receives federal money from enforcing a uniform policy that categorically prohibits trans students from playing on sports teams in accordance with their gender identity. Such a policy would be considered a violation of Title IX.

Any limits should take into account the sport, the level of the competition and the age of the students. For example, primary school students should generally be allowed to participate in teams that are consistent with their gender identity. More competitive teams in high schools and colleges could add limits, but they would be discouraged in teams that have no tryouts or cuts.