The Louisiana House has failed to override Governor Edwards’ veto of a bill to prohibit transgender individuals from competing in women’s sports. In order to execute the veto, the measure needed 70 votes and it got 68. New Orleans Representative Royce Duplessis voted no and says the legislation is in search of a problem that does not exist.
“Transgender girls are not stealing scholarships or other opportunities, there’s little to no evidence of any transgender girl ever receiving an athletic scholarship to college,” said Duplessis.
Metairie Representative Laurie Schlegel countered that argument.
“We vote on bills every single session that are forward-thinking and if you look all over the country and the world this is a growing problem,” said Schlegel.
Supporters of the transgender sports ban say this bill will help create a fair playing field for biological girls. But Duplessis says the bill would result in transgender boys on a girls team and leading to privacy-violating tests of girls.
“Which would dangerously leave open the door for anyone, a coach, a fan, a player, a teacher to accuse and humiliate any girl of not being a biological girl,” said Duplessis.
In his veto message, Governor John Bel Edwards called the bill discriminatory. But during debate on the House floor, Schlegel disagreed.
“Respecting biological differences is not discrimination, it is not hate, it is what is evident and not true,” said Schlegel.
It’s likely the first-ever override veto session will end without legislators overriding any of the governor’s recent vetoes.
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