Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska and Washington approved ballot measures restricting transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports Tuesday, even as Democrats made major gains nationwide and secured control of Congress.
Jennifer Sey, founder and CEO of XX-XY Athletics, an athletic apparel company that advocates for sex-based categories in women's sports, said the results demonstrate support extending beyond traditional Republican voters.
"Common sense people across the political aisle all support the protection of girls' sports," Sey told Sinclair Broadcast Group's The National News Desk, as reported by FOX affiliate WBFF in Baltimore. "It's not really a right versus left issue. It's a right versus wrong issue."
The results were particularly notable in Colorado and Washington, two states that consistently favor Democrats in statewide elections, according to TNND.
In Colorado, approximately 52% of voters supported Proposition 134, requiring school athletics teams from elementary school through college to be designated by biological sex or as coeducational. Colorado's Democratic governor-elect, Phil Weiser, said the state's transgender-related ballot measure would require "a long, hard look" before implementation, TNND reported.
In Washington, roughly 57% backed an initiative prohibiting transgender girls from competing on girls' K-12 sports teams. The measure also establishes sex-verification requirements for student-athletes.
Meanwhile, Nebraska voters approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting male students from participating on girls' and women's sports teams.
Arizona voters expanded existing restrictions on transgender athletes while also approving additional rules governing access to school bathrooms, locker rooms and other sex-designated facilities.
Supporters argue the restrictions are necessary to protect fairness and safety in female athletics, citing physical differences between male and female athletes. They continue to push for federal legislation restricting transgender participation in girls' and women's sports. However, with Democrats preparing to take control of Congress in January, passing nationwide restrictions could face significant obstacles.
Opponents, including Democratic lawmakers and LGBTQ advocacy groups, argue the measures discriminate against transgender students and could subject young athletes to invasive scrutiny.
"I think it's really interesting that the people screeching about Democracy and the end of Democracy and no kings and all of this are sort of ready to act like kings and ignore the will of the people but we’re ready to fight it," Sey told TNND.
