ACLU of Kentucky issues statement on transgender athlete ban as bill passes state senate

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Kentucky Senate passed Senate Bill 83 on Wednesday. According to the ACLU of Kentucky, the bill singles out transgender girls by banning them from girls’ sports.

ACLU of Kentucky spokesperson Samuel Crankshaw calls the bill a solution in search of a non-existent problem, “If this becomes law, it will jeopardize our children’s mental health, physical well-being, and ability to access educational opportunities comparable to their peers.”

Senate Bill 83, called the Save Women’s Sports Act, would require students in grades six through 12, to play on teams based on their biological sex. Under the bill, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Board of Control would be directed to ban those identified as males on their birth certificates from engaging in girls’ team sports.

“Senate Bill 83 violates the United States Constitution by violating students’ equal protection and privacy rights, and Title IX of the Civil Rights Act by imposing a wholesale ban on transgender girls from participating in athletics consistent with their gender identity,” explained Crankshaw. “Similar bans have been blocked in federal courts in Idaho and West Virginia, and a challenge to including trans girls was dismissed in Connecticut.”

The Kentucky Fairness Campaign also held a “Rally & Lobby to Protect Trans Kids in KY” on Wednesday in Frankfort, ahead of the vote. Organizers asked people to call 1-800-372-7181 to schedule a meeting with their State Senator and Representative to voice their opposition to the bill.

“Trans kids, just like all kids, simply want to participate in the activities they love, including athletics. Trans students participate in sports for the same reasons other young people do: to challenge themselves, improve fitness, and be part of a team. Excluding trans students deprives them of opportunities available to their peers and sends the message they are not worthy of a full life,” said Crankshaw.

You can read the full statement from the ACLU of Kentucky HERE.

Senate Bill 83 passed in a 27-8 vote and now heads to the House. You can view SB83 HERE.