A new article regards the Texas legislation for transgender student athletes. Waller (2021) explains that the recently approved House Bill 25 prevents transgender individuals from participating in school sports teams that correspond with their new gender identity. Following Lasswell’s definition, the legislation will allow transgender-opposed parties in Texas to legally restrict transgender athletes from participating in school teams that do not match their birth sex. The capability to clarify transgender school sports participation rules will become consolidated as soon as the bill passes the Senate.
From my perspective, the discussed policy is harmful towards transgender teenage athletes as it hinders their opportunities in school team sports engagement. Transgender youth experience significant psychological toll from the gender-change process and the stigma inflicted by other individuals (Munce, 2021). However, the described legislation further diminishes the acceptance of transgender athletes according to their chosen gender. Furthermore, it negates the possibility to define their gender alignment during sports participation. Although the legislators claim that the policy protects women from being displaced by transgender athletes, it does not approach the problems in youth team sports from an evidence-based viewpoint (Waller, 2021). Instead, the legislation promotes transgender inequality and discourages transgender children from engaging in school team sports.
References
Waller, A. (2021). Texas House approves bill targeting transgender student athletes after lawmakers’ three previous attempts faltered. The Texas Tribune. Web.