MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have banned transgender and gender nonconforming youth from participating on school athletic teams that align with their gender identity.
The bill would have forced transgender and gender nonconforming students to instead play on teams that match the gender they were assigned at birth. It is the latest veto from Evers as he receives bills approved by the Senate and Assembly before the end of the legislative session last month.
“This type of legislation, and the harmful rhetoric beget by pursuing it, harms LGBTQ Wisconsinites’ and kids’ mental health, emboldens anti-LGBTQ harassment, bullying, and violence, and threatens the safety and dignity of LGBTQ Wisconsinites, especially our LGBTQ kids,” Evers said in his veto message.
“I will veto any bill that makes Wisconsin a less safe, less inclusive, and less welcoming place for LGBTQ people and kids, and I will continue to keep my promise of using every power available to me to defend them, protect their rights, and keep them safe.”
Evers has promised since the introduction of the bill last year that he would veto it, along with another bill that would ban gender-transition treatment for minors.
“We expect our kids to treat each other with kindness, respect, empathy, and compassion, and we should be able to expect adults to lead by example,” said Evers. “I urge the Republican majority to do so while fully considering the harmful consequences its efforts and actions have on our kids prior to introducing similar legislation in the future.”
The bills were contentious, drawing hours of testimony from both supporters of the bill and opponents. Republicans continued to pursue the legislation because the lawmakers thought “they’re the right thing to do for Wisconsin,” said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos when the bill was introduced.
Republicans said the bills aimed at protecting children and girls participating in athletics.
“Men have major physical advantages. They’re bigger, they’re stronger, they’re faster,” state Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, said during testimony last year. “Title IX was created so that women can have the same access to the same advantages, the same character building that takes place (in sports) that men always have experienced.”
Those against the bills said the proposals could harm transgender and nonbinary youth and worsen the mental health challenges and stigma they face. A number of states across the country have introduced similar bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community, including limiting the rights of transgender youths, across the United States.
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Rep. Melissa Ratcliff, D-Cottage Grove, the co-chair of the Transgender Parent and Non-Binary Advocacy Caucus, applauded Evers’ action.
“This harmful proposal targeted trans and non-binary students and would have prevented them from participating in sports teams that align with their gender identity,” she said. “It is a sad day when discrimination and prejudice receive the overwhelming support of Republicans in the State Legislature.”
Laura Schulte can be reached at [email protected] and on X at @SchulteLaura.
