Minnesota has become the latest state to take a stand against transgender athlete participation in girls’ and women’s sports. However, unlike Florida, Indiana, and North Carolina, all of which restrict transgender athletes, Minnesota’s Preserving Girls Sports Act, failed to pass the House of Representatives on Monday.
The bill would have undone a more than decade-long tradition in the state that allows student-athletes to choose a team that aligns with their gender identity. The Minnesota State High School League will continue its anti-discrimination policy.
According to WDIO, “The bill failed to pass with only 67 of the 68 votes needed to pass.” The bill’s failure comes alongside the looming threat of the U.S. attorney general, who said “the state could risk losing federal money” if they do not ban transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.
Rep. Peggy Scott, who introduced the bill, told The Minneapolis Star Tribune, “For decades, males had great privileges in athletics while girls were sidelined. It is our duty to protect female athletes in the state of Minnesota.”
Rep. Brion Curran, who opposed the bill said in a statement, “We will not allow Republicans to discriminate and bully children for wanting to play, all children deserve to play. We will not be complacent with this hateful and dangerous anti-trans rhetoric.”
While the vote was debated on Monday, protestors and counter-protestors gathered on the steps of the Minnesota state capitol building. One of these protestors included well-known former University of Kentucky swimmer, and conservative girls’ sports advocate, Riley Gaines. She spoke in front of the capitol on Monday before being escorted away by state troopers for protection.
There is no official count of how many transgender student-athletes are currently competing in Minnesota. The Minnesota State High School League does not require schools to report that data to protect the privacy of student-athletes.
