Georgia Lawmakers Clash Over Transgender Athlete Ban in Girls’ Sports

ATLANTA, Ga. — Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns introduced a bill Tuesday that would ban transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports at all levels, from kindergarten through public colleges. The legislation, which also prohibits transgender girls from using girls’ locker rooms, has sparked fierce debate among lawmakers, with Democrats condemning it as a targeted attack on a marginalized community.

The bill comes despite no reported incidents of transgender girls attempting to compete in sports in Georgia. Fayetteville Republican Josh Bonner, the bill’s author, defended the measure, stating, “How many incidents? What is our threshold? Do we want any young girl in the state of Georgia to be harmed because they were competing against a biological male?”

Burns emphasized the bill’s focus on protecting women’s spaces, telling Channel 2’s Richard Elliot, “It also protects the dignity and integrity of women’s space by requiring separate locker rooms, bathrooms, and changing facilities for male and female athletes.”

Democrats, however, argue that the bill distracts from systemic inequities in girls’ sports. State Sen. Kim Jackson, a Democrat, criticized the legislation as a “bully tactic aimed at a minority community” while ignoring broader issues of fairness. Jackson introduced her own bill, the “Equal Opportunities for Girls in Sports Act,” which seeks to address disparities in practice times, coaching salaries, and equipment between boys’ and girls’ teams.

“If Georgia Republicans truly wanted to protect girls’ sports, they could stop their harping on the non-existent threat by trans athletes and embrace this legislation that empowers our girls,” said Atlanta Democrat Shea Roberts.

The debate over transgender athletes has become a national flashpoint, with at least 25 states passing similar restrictions. In 2022, Georgia lawmakers allowed the Georgia High School Association to regulate transgender participation in sports, leading to a ban on transgender women in events sponsored by the association. Now, Senate Bill 1, introduced by Republican Sen. Greg Dolezal, seeks to extend these restrictions to all publicly funded institutions, including K-12 schools and state universities.

Dolezal, who chairs the Georgia Senate Special Committee on the Protection of Women’s Sports, said the bill ensures a “level playing field” for female athletes. “Female athletes have worked tirelessly to earn their place in competition, and they deserve a fair playing field,” he stated.

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones echoed this sentiment, calling the bill a “common-sense” measure. “Biological men do not belong in women’s sports, period,” Jones said. “I will never waver in the fight to protect our sisters and our daughters participating on equal footing in Georgia sports.”

Meanwhile, Jackson’s bill highlights systemic inequities, such as girls’ teams practicing late at night or early in the morning and coaches earning significantly less than their counterparts in boys’ sports. “If we want to have a real conversation about true ‘fairness’ and ‘safety’ in girls’ sports, let’s talk about how girls’ teams are made to practice late at night or early in the morning when it’s still dark outside,” Jackson said.

House Speaker Burns is set to announce his legislation at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. Senate Bill 1 and Jackson’s competing bill, Senate Bill 41, remain under consideration in the Georgia Senate.