These days it seems like all of the best and most accomplished “women” are men.
The female record books and award honorees are filled with biological males.
But these four Red states are triggering the Left and protecting young female athletes at the same time.
Men dominating women’s sports
If you look at the women’s record holders in the NCAA record books, one name sticks out because it belongs to a man – Lia Thomas.
The biological male born William Thomas dominated the women’s collegiate swimming scene this past season.
For Thomas’ efforts, the University of Pennsylvania even nominated him for the NCAA’s “Woman of the Year” award.
But women’s swimming is not the only sport men are now taking over.
Cycling, weightlifting, softball, and several other female sports leagues and school competitions are being dominated by men who claim to be women.
It is even putting the health of female athletes at risk, as men who claim to be women are participating in girls’ combat sports like mixed martial arts.
To protect the health of these female athletes and keep their opportunities alive, four Red states are positioning to pass legislation that would ban men from playing in women’s sports.
Republicans seek to protect female athletes
Bills have been introduced in the state legislatures of Texas, Ohio, Nebraska, and Kansas to ban biological males from participating in women’s sports.
The bills will be easier to pass in Texas and Ohio since Republicans run the government.
In Texas, Republicans control the Governor’s Mansion and hold an 86 to 64 majority in the House and a 19 to 12 majority in the Senate.
In Ohio, Republicans also control the Governor’s Mansion and hold a 99 to 26 majority in the House and a 32 to 7 majority in the Senate.
It is a little trickier to pass in Nebraska, as the state operates with a unicameral system that is “nonpartisan.”
However, an unofficial Party count on Ballotpedia reflects that Republicans control the state legislature 31 to 17.
Since Nebraska’s new Governor, Jim Pillen, is a Republican, the legislation should be passed without issue and no fear of a veto.
Now we’re somewhere over the rainbow
But then comes Kansas, the wild card.
While Kansas votes with the GOP for President and currently has two Republican U.S. Senators, it is not the rock-ribbed conservative state most believe it to be.
For example, a ballot initiative in 2022 that would have removed abortion from the state’s Constitution and returned policy decisions on the issue to the state legislature failed by a whopping 59 to 41 margin.
While there are many reasons the ballot measure failed, it shows the Jayhawk State is not as conservative as its neighbors.
Kansas’ largest population center is the Kansas City suburbs, which lean to the Left and are currently represented by Democrat Sharice Davids, a Native American lesbian MMA fighter.
Not far away is Lawrence, home of Kansas University, which is more like San Francisco than it is Dodge City.
Then there is Wichita, which is the most ethnically diverse area in the state and tends to vote for Democrats.
And while Republicans do control large majorities in both bodies of the Kansas legislature, the state has a Democrat Governor who just won a second term in the 2022 Midterm elections.
If the bill were to pass in the House and Senate, Governor Laura Kelly would be in a difficult position.
She would have to choose to represent the will of her constituents and sign it into law or represent the will of her Party – and her true beliefs – and veto it.
The chances are high Kelly would veto the bill and it is unclear if Republicans could override it.
But protecting women’s sports in three out of the four states is a good start.
