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The state of Iowa has banned biological males from competing on female sports teams.
This decision impacts transgender girls and women looking to compete from high school through to college.
Iowa is the 11th state to make this move.
“This is a victory for girls sports in Iowa,” Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said. She signed the bill into law during a ceremony in the state capital.
Young female athletes joined the governor in the ceremony.
“No amount of talent, training or effort can make up for the natural physical advantages males have over females,” Reynolds explained. “It’s simply a reality of human biology.”
“Forcing females to compete against males is the opposite of inclusivity and it´s absolutely unfair,” she added.
NCAA athlete Lia Thomas, formerly Will Thomas, has made national headlines after switching to the women’s swimming team at the University of Pennsylvania and dominating the sport.
Critics argue that Lia Thomas possesses an obvious unfair advantage over female competitors as a result of going through male puberty.
Even though Lia has undergone “testosterone suppression” for one year prior to joining the women’s team, as the NCAA policy requires, this does not reverse the impact of nearly 20 years of presumably normal male testosterone levels. The NCAA’s policy fails to address this problem.
Thomas swam for three years as a male at Penn before changing gender identity. Thomas still has male genital and uses the women’s locker room, according to teammates who have spoken out in frustration over the situation.
Former Olympic gold medal-winning athlete Caitlyn Jenner sounded off on the issue. “I’ve said from the beginning, biological boys should not be playing in women’s sports. We need to protect women’s sports.”
“It’s unfortunate that this is happening. I don’t know why she’s doing it,” Jenner continued.
“She knows when she’s swimming she’s beating the competition by two laps. She was born as a biological boy. She was raised as a biological boy. Her cardiovascular system is bigger. Her respiratory system is bigger,” Jenner added.
“Her hands are bigger. She can swim faster. That’s a known,” Jenner said. Watch the clip below:
