A bill restricting transgender student-athletes from participating in female sports is moving closer to becoming law in Georgia.
On Tuesday, a House panel advanced Senate Bill 1, which would prohibit students in public K-12 schools and universities from joining single-sex sports teams based on their gender identity. The legislation also applies to private schools competing against public teams.
Under the bill, “sex” is defined strictly as an individual’s biological sex, as observed or clinically verified at birth, removing references to “gender” from state laws governing school sports.
Lawmakers Reach Compromise
Both the House and Senate introduced measures regulating school sports this year. While the House’s version aimed to replace most mentions of “gender” with “sex” across various state laws—including foster care regulations and driver’s licenses—lawmakers ultimately agreed to limit the bill’s scope to sports.
“This is a bill that deals only with sports,” said Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, the bill’s sponsor. “The House’s version was more expansive, but this has always been about sports.”
Supporters and Opponents Weigh In
Proponents argue that people assigned male at birth have physical advantages over those assigned female and that the bill ensures fairness and safety in women’s sports.
Opponents, however, contend that the bill harms women rather than protecting them.
“This anti-trans legislation is also anti-woman legislation,” said Evalina Pierce, an ultimate frisbee player. “The message you’re sending to women—both trans and cis—is to be smaller, weaker, less.”
Growing Momentum for the Bill
While there are no known cases of transgender girls competing in Georgia’s public school sports, support for such restrictions remains high. A poll by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this year found that over 70% of Georgia voters favor requiring student-athletes to compete based on the sex listed on their birth certificates.
For years, the Senate has attempted to pass similar legislation, but previous bills stalled in the House. In 2022, lawmakers tasked athletic associations with investigating whether restrictions were necessary. The Georgia High School Association quickly adopted a policy requiring athletes to compete based on their biological sex.
The “Riley Gaines” Bill
This year’s measure is named after Riley Gaines, a Kentucky swimmer who tied for fifth place with a transgender woman at a Georgia Tech meet in 2022. Gaines has since become an advocate for similar legislation nationwide and worked as a campaign surrogate for former President Donald Trump.
“We’re creating a boundary around female sports,” Dolezal said while presenting the bill alongside Rep. Josh Bonner, R-Fayetteville, who sponsored the House version.
If the House passes the bill, the Senate must approve the changes before it heads to Gov. Brian Kemp, who is expected to sign it into law.
