Ohio House Bans Transgender Students In Sports, Requires Genital Exams In Disputes – By Mary Papenfuss (Huffpost) / June3, 2022
“I struggle to understand why we keep discussing bills focusing on children’s genitals,” said one Democratic legislator.
Ohio House Republicans passed a bill late Tuesday that bans all transgender students from playing high school and college sports, and requires genital exams in any disputes.
Representatives voted on House Bill 151 on the first day of Pride Month. The measure next goes to the Senate after lawmakers return from summer recess. If the bill becomes law, it would take precedence over all current policies by high school and college sports associations.
The existing association policies, which aim to protect medical privacy and stress inclusion, take into account testosterone levels or the length of time an athlete has been transitioning, Cleveland.com reported. The new bill calls for an outright ban on transgender athletes.
Under the measure, if a player’s sex is disputed, he or she will have to present a physician’s statement about “internal and external reproductive anatomy” and testosterone levels. Students would also have to show an analysis of genetic makeup.
