Seth Moulton Rips 'Extreme' Trans Sports Bill After Backing Restrictions
Congress that would prohibit transgender athletes from participating in women's sports as too "extreme."Congress on Tuesday voted to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which would ban schools that receive federal funding from allowing transgender girls and women playing on women's sports teams, essentially keeping them from participating in sports at most institutions.It comes as Democrats continue grappling with their approach to culture war issues after their losses in the 2024 presidential race.
Although Americans are generally much more supportive of LGBTQ+ rights than they were 20 years ago, polls suggest most aren't on board with transgender girls and women participating in women's sports.A Gallup poll from May 2023 found that 69 percent of Americans believe transgender people should play on teams that match their sex assigned at birth.
The issue will likely remain a major culture war clash heading into the 2026 midterms.Moulton explained why he voted against the legislation in a statement released by his office, writing that he views it as an "extreme" bill that goes "too far.""Because it fails to distinguish between children and adults and different levels of athletics, school-aged kids who simply want to play recreational sports and build camaraderie like everybody else could be targeted by the federal government.
My kids play co-ed sports today just as I did when I was their age," he said.He added that he does not want children to be "subjected to the invasive violations of personal privacy this bill allows." Critics raised concerns about whether the bill not having an enforcement mechanism would open the possibility of invasive means of enforcement such as genital examinations.Republicans defended the bill, saying schools would only need to check a student's birth certificate to determine their gender.Moulton also reiterated support for "reasonable restrictions on transgender athletes in competitive sports.""There is no denying that.
