Georgia Republicans Pass Extreme Bill to Ban Transgender Students in School Sports

Today, Republicans in the State Senate passed Brian Kemp’s extreme legislation targeting transgender youth on a party-line vote. SB 435 would ban transgender students from competing on public school sports teams that align with their gender identity, and ban public schools from competing in sports against other schools that allow transgender athletes to play. 

This dangerous bill comes after a year of record high anti-transgender violence and rhetoric, during which 52 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth seriously contemplated suicide. Georgia Republicans’ legislation targeting transgender youth is one of 280 proposals moving in legislatures across the nation threatening vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“It’s absolutely despicable that Georgia Republicans are attacking kids for political gain. This hateful bill is a dangerous ploy to rally political support in an election year by demonizing Georgia’s transgender community and threatening kids and teenagers’ wellbeing,” said Rebecca Galanti, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Georgia. “Republicans choosing to target and ostracize vulnerable students in service of their own political aspirations shows there is no bar too low for Brian Kemp and the Georgia GOP.”

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