Florida: Ban on Transgender Women Athletes
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
Florida is the latest State in the US to ban transgender girls and women from taking part in female sports’ competitions at public secondary and high schools, colleges and universities.
The new Law, entitled the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, comes into force on 1 July 2021.
The Law provides that sports teams for girls and women may not be open to students of the male sex. An athlete’s sex is that stated on his/her birth certificate.
LGBT activists have denounced the new Law as being “discriminatory” and a legal challenge can be expected.
Supporters of the new Law argue that transgender female athletes have an unfair advantage, having been born male but subsequently transitioned.
Ron DeSantis, the Republican State Governor of Florida commented that:
“We believe that it is very important that the integrity of these competitions is preserved.”
And added that:
“We are gonna go based on biology, not based on ideology when we’re doing sports.”
This new Florida Law is part of a push back by Republican-led States against pro-LGBT policies pursued by the Democrat Administration of US President Joe Biden.
A case of reverse political correctness?
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
