Officials In Arkansas Introduce Bill That Would Ban Transgender Students From Being On Women’s Sports Teams
The Attorney General in Arkansas announced that new legislation has been proposed that would keep transgender students off of women's sports teams in K-12 schools. The bill comes in response to President Biden's recent executive order intended to combat discrimination when it comes to sexual orientation and gender identity.
See the original story from @KTBS on Twitter below.
According to the report, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge made the announcement on Monday, February 22, 2021 and included in her message, "I want to send a strong message to President Biden and his administration that here in Arkansas, we intend to require schools to prohibit biological boys who self-identity as girls onto girls' sports teams".
The report also includes President Biden's message that came from the executive order, citing the President's words, "Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room or school sports".
While President Biden is fighting for transgender students' equality, the Arkansas AG claims that she is fighting for equality on behalf of female athletes. Rutledge went on to say the following,
It will create equal and fair competition by limiting girls' and women's sports to girls and women, as evidenced by an original birth certificate. We don't want common sense to be shadowed by so-called political correctness.
The proposed bill cites differences between males and females and would apply to K-12 schools in Arkansas. The bill would also allow the state's attorney general to sue any school that is found in violation and prohibit them from receiving public funding for a year, per the report.