The US House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday that excludes transgender boys from girls’ school teams. Boys who identify as girls and have had their gender designation changed can no longer participate in competitions with girls’ teams.
The bill, known as the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025” was approved with 218 votes. 206 representatives voted against it, and two Democrats joined the Republicans in voting for the bill, a departure from the usual party line.
The bill has sparked a heated debate. While Republicans consider the bill necessary to ensure the fairness of women’s sports and “equal competitive conditions” Democrats and numerous human rights organizations oppose the bill. Critics argue that the bill is an unjustified intrusion into the private lives of students and severely restricts the rights of transgender individuals.
Republicans, including Representative Greg Steube from Florida, emphasized that the bill is necessary to protect women and girls in sports. He said, “Throughout human history, we as a species have recognized that there are God-created women and men, biologically distinct and obvious.”
Another point of contention was the question of how the bill would be implemented. While Republicans proposed verifying birth certificates, critics warned that this could lead to unnecessary measures. Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez emphasized that a bill without clear enforcement mechanisms would raise significant legal and ethical questions: “If there is no enforcement mechanism, you’re opening the door to arbitrary proceedings.”
Critics fear that the proposal could lead to a comprehensive investigation of students’ private medical records, paving the way for further discrimination.
In December, the designated US President Donald Trump had announced that his administration would only officially recognize two genders – male and female.
The bill must still pass the US Senate, where Republicans have a narrow majority of 53 to 47 seats.