RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin joined Republican lawmakers on Wednesday to advocate for new legislation concerning transgender women athletes in high school and collegiate sports.
"This issue is about protecting women and girls' rights," Youngkin stated during the gathering, which included female athletes from various Virginia colleges and high schools. "If my daughter had to compete against biological males in sports, I would be angry about fairness. I would be angry about the violation of her rights that are supposed to be protected under Title IX."
HB1809 and SB749 specifies that in sports at public high school sports and universities or colleges affiliated with organizations like the NCAA, athletes would only be able to participate in divisions that are co-ed or align with their biological sex.
The bill would also require each athlete to provide a doctor’s note certifying their sex.
Supporters of the legislation argue that it is necessary to safeguard women, particularly drawing attention to issues such as maintaining separate dressing rooms for women and the belief that transgender women possess an unfair physical advantage.
"I realize that this is a sensitive issue, as some choose to identify with the gender different from their biological sex. These same individuals will come to committee and they'll come before the Senate and they will argue that they want the same opportunities as everyone else," said Senator Tammy Mulchi (R-Mecklenburg), one of the bill's sponsors. "Well, I firmly believe that you shouldn't take away opportunities from the women who have worked long and hard to have their own rights."
Among those supporting the bill was former All-American college swimmer and current podcast host Riley Gaines, who gained national visibility on the issue after tying transgender swimmer Lia Thomas for fifth place in a college championship race in 2022.
"I will do whatever I need to do to ensure this is done in every single state across the entire nation," Gaines said. "Women matter, I matter, these girls who stand on the steps behind us — they matter. Your daughters, they matter."
Opponents of the legislation, however, maintain that it could harm transgender athletes, affecting their mental health and possibly increasing harassment.
Shannon McKay, the Executive Director of He She Ze and We, emphasized the importance of inclusion.
"I grew up in sports and it is absolutely important that trans girls and trans women also have access to this," McKay said. "I think it's a violation of human rights to deny anyone the opportunity to participate in all the things that someone might want to do."
Critics have labeled the legislation a "solution in search of a problem," noting that the Virginia High School League (VHSL) already has policies governing transgender athlete participation. The VHSL reported having received 30 applications from transgender athletes in the past four and a half years and approved 27 of those.
"Whether that's forcing trans girls to play on male teams, or the other way around, it's saying, you know, I don’t believe who you are and I don’t believe that you belong," Narissa Rahaman, Executive Director of Equality Virginia, said.
A spokesperson for the VHSL said in a statement that its current policy has served them well and is meeting the needs of its members and student-athletes, but adds they will follow the law if it changes.
For the proposed bills to become law, they must pass both chambers of the General Assembly, which are currently controlled by Democrats.
The Senate version of the bill is scheduled for a committee hearing on Thursday.
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