Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Legislation Prohibiting Transgender Women From Competing In Women’s Collegiate Sports

On Thursday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a legislation that will stop transgender women from competing in women’s collegiate athletics.

The measure will be a part of a 2021 Texas law that makes it mandatory that public high school teams be “assigned by students’ sex assigned at birth.”

The “Save Women’s Sports Act,” Senate Bill 15, states that intercollegiate athletes will have to be a part of teams as designated by their biological sex or what is exactly on the student’s birth certificate.

Additionally, the legislation notes that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will be implementing guidelines to ensure that state and federal laws are followed in connection to student privacy. This means that college students in Texas can file lawsuits against schools if rules about transgender athletes at not followed.

Per the Movement Advancement Project, Texas is one of 22 states that have passed laws that stop transgender athletes from being a part of sports in relation to their gender identity.