In a move that has reignited debate over transgender participation in sports, Republican lawmakers in Virginia, alongside Governor Glenn Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, Attorney General Jason Miyares, and prominent supporters, gathered on Wednesday to champion legislation that would bar transgender students from participating in school sports teams inconsistent with their assigned sex at birth. This proposed legislation, framed as a measure to preserve fairness and safety in women’s sports, has drawn both fervent support and sharp criticism.
The Proposal and Its Scope
The legislation, introduced in both the Virginia House and Senate, would require students to verify their biological sex through a physician’s statement. Female sports teams would be restricted to students whose birth certificates list them as female at birth. This effectively excludes transgender girls and women from competing on women’s teams. The legislation applies to public high schools and most public and private colleges and universities in Virginia.
Proponents argue that the bill ensures fairness in women’s sports, emphasizing perceived biological differences. Attorney General Jason Miyares stated at the press conference, “Biological males who have undergone puberty have a clear physical advantage over females. They jump higher, they run faster, they hit harder.” Similarly, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears likened the situation to undoing the progress women have made in sports. “It was not broken to repair it,” she remarked.
The proposed legislation also prohibits complaints or investigations against schools complying with the new law, shielding them from potential legal challenges.
Supporters Rally Behind the Bill
The press conference featured Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer turned political activist who has become a prominent advocate for legislation targeting transgender athletes. Gaines rose to prominence after tying for fifth place with University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, the first openly transgender woman to compete in NCAA Division I women’s swimming. Gaines argued, “As an athlete, I can tell you, you have to have [a physical exam] to even be able to play the sports,” downplaying concerns about invasive medical verification processes.
Members of Liberty University’s swim and dive team and Roanoke College’s swim team stood in solidarity with Gaines and lawmakers. Roanoke’s team, previously in the spotlight for rejecting a transgender athlete, has become an outspoken voice in this debate, appearing at various high-profile Republican events.
Opposition Mounts
Equality Virginia Director Narissa Rahaman strongly criticized the legislation, labeling it as discriminatory and unnecessary. “This is prioritizing a non-issue that would single out and target dozens of athletes in Virginia,” she said. Rahaman pointed out that the Virginia High School League (VHSL) already has strict policies regulating transgender athlete participation, which have been effective for over a decade.
VHSL requires transgender athletes to meet rigorous criteria, including undergoing reassignment surgery before puberty, providing medical documentation confirming their gender identity, or completing sufficient hormonal therapy to mitigate gender-related advantages. Despite these regulations, VHSL data shows minimal participation: only 30 transgender athletes applied to play in the last four and a half years, and just four applications were submitted during the 2023-2024 school year.
“To be told that you do not have that opportunity will take a toll,” said Shannon McKay, Executive Director of He She Ze and We, a transgender rights advocacy group. McKay criticized the bill as a solution in search of a problem, noting that it perpetuates stigma against transgender youth.
A Broader Trend
Virginia’s legislation is part of a nationwide push by Republican lawmakers to curtail transgender participation in sports. Similar bills have been introduced in numerous states and at the federal level, with a Republican-backed bill passing the U.S. House last week. These efforts come amid broader legal battles over LGBTQ+ rights, including a recent U.S. District Court ruling that struck down President Joe Biden’s Title IX changes aimed at protecting transgender students. Attorney General Miyares was part of a multi-state coalition that challenged the policy.
Critics argue that these legislative efforts are not about protecting fairness but about erasing transgender individuals from public spaces. Rahaman emphasized that transgender athletes participate in sports for the same reasons as their cisgender peers: “To find a sense of belonging, be part of a team, and challenge themselves. They deserve to do so free from discrimination and stigmatization.”
A Bill That Targets Kids
During a Senate subcommittee hearing on Thursday, Senator Stella Pekarsky addressed the legislation’s underlying implications. She noted that the number of transgender athletes applying to play through VHSL’s existing process is minuscule. “Last year, we had four requests in Virginia. Three were trans girls, and one was a trans boy. Two trans girls were approved; one trans girl and one boy were denied,” Pekarsky explained. “This is not an issue plaguing our schools. This bill targets kids.”
The subcommittee ultimately voted to “pass by indefinitely,” effectively killing the bill for this legislative session. However, proponents could revive it if a motion is made by someone who voted in favor.
Riley Gaines: Protector or Punisher?
Central to this national movement is Riley Gaines, who has dedicated her post-athletic career to advocating against transgender inclusion in women’s sports. While Gaines frames her efforts as defending cisgender women, critics argue that her activism disproportionately targets and stigmatizes transgender women.
“She’s not protecting women’s sports; she’s punishing transgender women,” said McKay. “This isn’t about fairness. It’s about exclusion.”
Gaines’ advocacy raises questions about the motivations and impacts of such campaigns. By focusing on a handful of athletes—in this case, fewer than a dozen across Virginia—Gaines and her supporters are amplifying a marginal issue at the expense of vulnerable youth.
The Human Cost
The broader implications of these debates extend beyond sports. Transgender youth already face heightened rates of mental health challenges, including depression and suicide, due to societal stigmatization and discrimination. Being excluded from team sports, a key avenue for social integration and personal development, exacerbates these challenges.
“It’s very depressing to think you would not be welcome in those spaces,” McKay said. “The message this sends to transgender youth is clear: You don’t belong.”
The Bottom Line
Virginia’s proposed legislation—though currently stalled—highlights a troubling trend of targeting transgender youth under the guise of fairness and safety. With the support of figures like Riley Gaines and a national Republican agenda, such measures continue to dominate headlines and legislative agendas. Yet the data and testimonies reveal a starkly different reality: transgender athletes make up a minuscule fraction of participants, and existing policies already address concerns about fairness.
For the transgender community, their families, and allies, these debates underscore the ongoing struggle for equality and acceptance. As lawmakers revisit these issues, the question remains: Is this about protecting sports, or is it about marginalizing an already vulnerable group? In a time when unity and inclusion are needed more than ever, such legislative efforts threaten to deepen divisions and harm those who simply seek to belong.
