In a decisive move aligning with its progressive track record, California lawmakers have rejected a pair of Republican-backed bills that would have banned transgender student-athletes from participating in girls’ sports teams. The bills, debated for hours on Tuesday before the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism, sought to alter long-standing state policies that allow students to join sports teams and access facilities in accordance with their gender identity.
One of the proposals would have reversed California’s 2013 law permitting transgender students in K-12 and college to use school facilities and join sports teams consistent with their gender identity. The other targeted high school sports governance, pushing for the exclusion of trans girls from participating in girls’ teams if they were assigned male at birth.
The hearing, held just after Transgender Day of Visibility, sparked intense debate among lawmakers, activists, student-athletes, and parents. Democratic Assemblymember Chris Ward, chair of the committee and leader of the legislative LGBTQ+ caucus, called the bills “a broader attack on the rights of transgender youth.” He emphasized that the proposals could result in invasive demands for cisgender girls to prove their sex, warning against what he described as “gender policing.”
However, Republican Assemblymember Bill Essayli defended his bill as a matter of fairness in competition. “Biology matters,” he said, referencing cases like Taylor Starling, a Riverside student-athlete who claimed a trans competitor took her varsity spot.
Advocates for trans rights—including parents like Cati Johnson—argued passionately that these bans dehumanize trans youth and send harmful messages about their place in schools and society. “The facilities ban really sends the message that she is not welcome as her authentic self,” Johnson said about her daughter.
Despite a few high-profile examples, research from UCLA’s Williams Institute found no substantial evidence that the participation of trans girls is harmful or unfair to their peers. Still, the national momentum on the issue continues to swell: over 24 states have passed laws barring transgender girls from girls’ sports, and President Donald Trump signed a federal executive order last month reinforcing the restrictions.
In California, however, the momentum appears to be going the other direction. Governor Gavin Newsom has expressed nuanced concern about fairness in sports but stopped short of endorsing any rollbacks. Despite pressure from federal officials like Education Secretary Linda McMahon to clarify and toughen his stance, Newsom has so far reaffirmed his support for the existing state law.
With the bills now dead, California maintains its commitment to inclusivity, resisting the rising tide of restrictions seen in many other parts of the country.
Newspot Nigeria will continue to follow the developments and reactions from civil rights groups, educators, and athletes across the U.S. and beyond.
– Patch
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