Virginia health board moves to ban trans women from women's sports
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The Virginia Board of Health unanimously voted on Monday to start drafting a rule banning transgender women from women's sports teams and locker rooms.
The big picture: The decision adds the Youngkin-appointed board to the growing list of state and national bodies rolling back the protections and civil rights of transgender people.
- Since it's an unusual move from Virginia's health regulators, who historically haven't focused on athletics, it's unclear how the regulation would be implemented or enforced.
Catch up quick: It comes after VCU Health ended gender-affirming youth care like hormone therapy, and the Virginia High School League banned trans athletes from K–12 sports.
- Meanwhile, the Trump administration says it's following through on its threat to pull federal funding from five Northern Virginia school districts refusing to change their transgender student policies.
Zoom in: The Board of Health's vote on Monday was prompted by a petition for such a ban from three former and current collegiate swimmers from Roanoke College and Virginia Tech.
- Equality Virginia, a statewide LGBTQ+ rights nonprofit, tallied the petition's nearly 2,350 comments and found that 54% were in opposition and 45% were in support.
- Supporters called it a step toward "restoring fairness in competition."
- Some naysayers called it a "waste of taxpayer money" and a "distraction" from the "real issues."
Between the lines: Legislation to ban trans athletes from girls sports in K–12 schools has repeatedly failed to pass Virginia's Democrat-controlled General Assembly.
What we're watching: The RTD reports the board's process to create a new policy could take up to two years, but the Supreme Court will hear two cases regarding state bans on transgender athletes in women's sports this fall.