Republican Governor Mike DeWine vetoed a bill on Friday that would have prohibited transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports and gender-affirming care for minors, in retaliation for party members who supported the legislation.
Florida fines high school $16,500 for allowing transgender students to play girls’ volleyball. However, it was unclear whether or when lawmakers would override DeWine’s veto. Democratic lawmakers have not been in unison this time, both inside and outside of chambers. When Ohio’s complex legislation was being debated in the government, hundreds of opponents, including proponents of medical and mental health, educators, religious leaders, transgender parents, and people themselves, testified against it. They criticized the regulations for being callous, based more on fearmongering than on science, and endangering transgender youth’s quality of life.
Ohio minors would not have been allowed to take puberty blockers, receive hormone treatments, or have gender reassignment surgery that would further align them with their gender identity under the legislation, which passed the Senate earlier this month with only Democratic support. However, it would have permitted any minor resident of Ohio to continue with the care they are already receiving.
DeWine’s veto deviates from a general tendency toward enacting such laws. Despite the fact that these procedures have been available in the United States for more than ten years and have long been supported by significant medical associations, over 20 states have passed laws restricting or outlawing them since 2021. The majority of those cases are the targets of lawsuits, but authorities have made conflicting decisions. Additionally, the bill would have explicitly prohibited transgender girls and women from participating in sports that were consistent with their gender identity and mandated that public K–12 schools and universities designate separate teams for male and female gender.
Supporters argued that prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports upholds their fairness and integrity. Trans athletes playing on K–12 and collegiate sports teams across the state have been banned in some way by at least 20 states. A rule put forth by President Joe Biden’s administration that is scheduled to be finalized early next month would invalidate those bans.
Ohio’s COLUMBUS —
Republican Governor Mike DeWine vetoed a bill on Friday that would have prohibited transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports and gender-affirming care for minors, in retaliation for party members who supported the legislation.
Republicans currently hold enough votes to override DeWine’s veto, but it was unclear if or when they would do so. Republican lawmakers haven’t been in a tight spot this year, both inside and outside of chambers.
When Ohio’s complex legislation was being debated in the government, thousands of opponents testified against it, including medical and mental health professionals, educators, religious leaders, parents of transgender children, and trans people themselves.
They criticized the legislation as being callous, based on fearmongering rather than science, and endangering trans youth’s quality of life.
Ohio minors would not have been allowed to take puberty blockers, receive hormone treatments, or have gender reassignment surgery that would further align them with their gender identity under the legislation, which passed the Senate earlier this month with only Democratic support. However, it would have permitted any minor who resides in Ohio to continue the treatment they are already receiving.
DeWine’s veto deviates from a general trend toward enacting such rules. Despite the fact that these therapies have been available in the United States for more than ten years and have long been endorsed by major medical associations, over 20 states have passed laws restricting or banning them since 2021. The majority of those cases are the targets of lawsuits, but authorities have made conflicting decisions.
Additionally, the bill would have explicitly prohibited transgender girls and women from participating in sports that were consistent with their gender identity and mandated that public K–12 schools and universities designate separate teams for male and female gender. According to supporters, prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports upholds their fairness and integrity.
Trans athletes who compete on K–12 and collegiate sports teams across the state have been banned in some way by at least 20 states. A rule put forth by President Joe Biden’s administration that is scheduled to be finalized early next month would invalidate those bans.
