Governor John Bel Edwards’ position on a bill that would ban transgender girls from competing in female sports has not changed. Edwards vetoed the legislation last year, but the Legislature is poised to approve it again. Edwards still believes the bill is unnecessary as he says there has not been an incident of a non-biological female playing a women’s sport in Louisiana.
“And because it is unnecessary, I think there is a certain mean-spiritedness nature to it,” said Edwards.
Supporters of the transgender sports ban bill, which passed the Senate this week, point to transgender swimmer Lia Thomas who won an NCAA women’s title in the 500-yard freestyle. But Edwards says there are bigger issues facing Louisiana.
“I would much prefer the legislature spend its time focusing on issues that people are actually talking about around their supper table, this is not one of them,” said Edwards.
Edwards says the Louisiana High School Athletic Association already has a rule in place that prevents transgender athletes from competing. The governor used his veto pen last year on this bill and it survived an override an attempt and he could use his veto authority again.
“We’ll see what happens as that bill either does or doesn’t make its way all through the process, but obviously my feelings on it haven’t changed, because the facts haven’t changed,” said Edwards.
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