U.S. House Passes Bill to Ban Transgender Students from Women’s Sports

A bill to bar transgender students from women's sports teams passed the U.S. House, sparking strong opposition.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana speaks at a press conference Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, after the U.S. House passed a bill that would prohibit transgender students from competing on women

WASHINGTON — Legislation aiming to prohibit transgender students from joining women’s school sports teams in line with their gender identity was approved by the U.S. House on Tuesday. This decision follows a trend of states enacting laws against trans athletes in K-12 and college sports and is part of a broader GOP initiative against trans rights.

President-elect Donald Trump, who will assume office on Jan. 20, has often promised to ban transgender youth from participating in school sports that match their gender identity. The measure passed 218-206, with most Democrats opposing it, except for Texans Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, who supported it. North Carolina’s Don Davis voted “present.”

Introduced by Florida GOP Rep. Greg Steube, the bill previously passed the House but lacked Senate support when Democrats controlled it. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson called the vote “a great day for women in America,” emphasizing the House’s commitment to “common sense.”

Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer, highlighted that the House’s decision is a step towards ensuring male athletes don’t displace female athletes in competitions. Gaines is a prominent figure opposing trans athletes in gender-aligned sports. The Human Rights Campaign criticized the bill, stating there’s misinformation about transgender youth in sports, noting it has been a “non-issue.”

What the bill would do

The measure proposes amending Title IX to define sex based on reproductive biology at birth. The bill lacks details on enforcement, a point critics quickly noted. Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools. Although the Biden administration updated Title IX to protect LGBTQ+ students, a federal judge recently nullified these changes, creating policy inconsistencies nationwide.

With the GOP controlling Congress and Trump returning to the presidency, the party is better positioned to advance the ban. Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville introduced a similar Senate measure, needing support from at least 60 senators to overcome a filibuster. There are 45 Democratic senators, with independents Angus King and Bernie Sanders aligning with them.

Democrats, civil rights groups object

House Democrats strongly opposed the bill, referencing it as the “GOP Child Predator Empowerment Act.” Republicans named it the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025.” U.S. Rep Suzanne Bonamici argued it would increase risks for students by potentially empowering child predators. She raised concerns about privacy and harassment during enforcement. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with over 400 civil rights groups, urged Congress members to reject the bill, describing it as a discriminatory move against transgender, nonbinary, and intersex students.


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