COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio House Bill 6, introduced by Republican lawmaker Rep. Jena Powell, has sparked controversy as it seeks to bar trans athletes from participating in women’s sports. The proposed legislation, also known as the Save Women’s Sports Act, aims to protect fairness in women’s athletic opportunities by requiring the designation of separate sex-specific athletic teams or sports. It would prohibit schools, interscholastic conferences, or organizations that regulate interscholastic athletics from knowingly allowing individuals of the male sex to participate on athletic teams or in athletic competitions designated only for participants of the female sex.
The bill has been cosponsored by several other Republicans but has faced opposition from LGBTQ+ advocates and civil rights groups. Some argue that the legislation is discriminatory and unnecessary, as trans athletes have been allowed to participate in women’s sports in certain states without issue.
Proponents of the bill argue that it is necessary to protect the integrity of women’s sports and prevent unfair advantages for trans athletes. The proposed legislation also includes provisions that would prohibit any agency or political subdivision of the state, accrediting organization, or athletic association from taking any adverse action against a school or school district for maintaining separate single-sex teams or sports.
The Save Women’s Sports Act would also apply to state institutions of higher education or private colleges that are members of the national collegiate athletics association, the national association of intercollegiate athletics, or the national junior college association.
As the legislation continues to face scrutiny and debate, its fate remains uncertain.