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Republican Governor of Columbus, Ohio, Mike DeWine, vetoed a measure 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.
DeWine’s veto could be overridden by GOP politicians, but it was unclear whether or when they would do so at this time. Republican lawmakers haven’t been in a tight spot this year, both inside and outside of chambers.
The bill would have explicitly prohibited transgender girls and women from taking part in gender-identical activities and mandated that public K–12 schools and universities designate separate teams for women. Supporters argued that prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports upholds their fairness and integrity.
A ban on transgender athletes competing on K–12 and collegiate sports teams has been passed by at least 20 states in some form. A rule put forth by President Joe Biden’s administration that is scheduled to be finalized early next month would invalidate those bans.
The Ohio bill, which was only supported by Republicans when it was passed by the legislature earlier this month, would have also forbidden adolescents from taking hormones like testosterone, taking puberty blockers, or having gender reassignment surgery that would further align them with their gender identity. However, it would have permitted any minor resident of Ohio to carry on with the care they are already receiving.
DeWine’s veto deviates from a general tendency toward enacting such legislation. 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.
When Ohio’s complex legislation was being debated in the government, hundreds of opponents, including medical and mental health professionals, educators, religious leaders, parents of transgender children, and trans people themselves, testified against it. They criticized the legislation as being callous, endangering trans youth’s lives, and being based more on fearmongering than on science.
DeWine stated in a press conference on Friday that he had listened to lawmakers on both sides who “really believe their stance ideally protects children.”
He discovered that only a small percentage of Ohioan children may be impacted by the bill, but “the consequences of this act could not be more serious for those children who face gender dysphoria and for their families.”
DeWine declared his intention to veto the policy, saying, “Ultimately, I believe this is about protecting people’s lives.”
