A bill that sought to ban transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports did not advance in the U.S. Senate on Monday.
The legislation, which aimed to enforce Title IX protections based on biological sex at birth, failed to secure the 60 votes required to move forward. The Senate vote ended with a 51-45 result, largely along party lines.
Republican lawmakers, who have emphasized the issue in past election campaigns, argue that defining sex in sports based on biology ensures fairness in female athletic competitions.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, stated that the bill was about fairness and equality in sports, asserting that biological males were taking opportunities meant for cisgender females.
The bill follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, directing federal agencies to interpret Title IX as considering “sex” based on the gender assigned at birth.
This interpretation led to changes in NCAA policies, which now only allow athletes assigned female at birth to participate in women’s sports.
While the bill passed in the House of Representatives, it faced strong opposition in the Senate.
Only two Democrats in the House supported the legislation. Democrats criticized the Senate measure as a distraction from more pressing national issues and argued it encroached on local school authorities’ rights.
Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii accused Republicans of using the issue to divide the public. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin emphasized that sports leagues should create policies that prioritize all players’ welfare rather than imposing blanket federal mandates.
Republicans, however, maintain that the issue has significant public support. During Trump’s presidential campaign, many voters expressed concerns about transgender rights, believing the movement had overreached.
In Minnesota, a similar Republican-backed bill is currently under consideration, focusing on primary and secondary schools, and has sparked rallies and debates at the state Capitol.
Supporters of the Minnesota bill argue it is necessary to protect girls’ opportunities and safety in sports.
However, Democrats and LGBTQ+ rights advocates have labeled the bill as discriminatory. Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, criticized such measures for suggesting that transgender youth should not have the same opportunities as their peers.
Despite the setback in the Senate, Republicans appear determined to continue pushing the issue in both legislative and public discourse.
