Letter to the Editor: Defending the Rights of Hoosier Girls to Fair Competition in Athletics

When Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed common sense protections for girls’ sports and equality, he suggested the state would face legal hurdles. He said lawsuits were already underway to challenge the law and claimed that was the reasoning he vetoed the Hoosier girls’ protections.

As Indiana’s chief legal officer, I can tell you that reasoning was BS.

I’m proud that Indiana lawmakers stepped in and voted to override the governor’s veto on May 24.

My office is ready to enforce the new law and defend any challenges. The Hoosiers will not be intimidated by woke groups threatening women’s sports. We will not bow down to leftist special interests and the Biden administration that undermines equality in our state. We respect the law and will proudly defend it in court.

The passage of HEA 1041 prohibiting men from competing on women’s sports teams is an important step in protecting youth sports and was championed by my office. Athletics is integral to the development and growth of our children. They provide a safe and beneficial outlet for children while instilling a healthy competitive spirit in our future generation.

By opening the floodgates for biological men to participate in women’s sports, we are not only discouraging young women and girls from joining a team in the first place, but we are also depriving them of scholarship opportunities, starting positions and a chance to compete fairly.

The world saw biological male Lia Thomas, who previously competed in men’s collegiate swimming as the 462nd ranked swimmer, win gold at the Ivy League Women’s Championships. Thomas has taken away qualifying spots and podium spots from female athletes who have trained their whole lives to reach these competitions, only to compete on an unfair playing field.

There are big biological differences between women and men. Men have higher bone density, muscle mass and cardiovascular capacity. This creates a dangerous and unfair atmosphere for young female athletes looking to improve their athletic prowess. In 2018, more than 270 high school students beat U.S. Olympian Allyson Felix’s time in the 400 meters in track and field.

The many examples of biological male athletes dominating female sports across the country show how many states are failing our girls. I applaud the commitment of Indiana lawmakers to upholding Hoosier values ​​and getting this legislation across the finish line.

Women have fought for equality for decades and to enjoy the same opportunities as men in sport – and yet our country seems to have turned its back on those efforts. The pressure to give in is immense as corporate woke, Joe Biden, Hollywood and cultural elites push their radical gender agenda.

By ceding and vetoing this bill, the governor has made it clear that appeasement of these awakened vested interests means more to him than equal opportunity for the Hoosier girls. With lawmakers’ commitment to this common-sense policy demonstrated by their waiver of the veto power, Indiana is now one of 17 states with laws to protect the right of women and girls to compete on equal footing. ‘equality.

The Hoosiers can count on me to vigorously defend this law.•

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Todd Rokita is the attorney general of Indiana. The opinions expressed are those of the author.