Utah GOP Introduce Bill for Commission to Analyze Trans Kids’ Bodies

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – (02-20-22) – Utah Republicans continue their never ending anti-LGBT campaign by introducing a bill to analyze Trans Kids’ bodies. Yes, conservative Republicans have introduced a first-of-its-kind anti-trans sports bill that would form a “commission” to determine student athlete eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

According to the legislation, the commission would have the authority to “establish a baseline range” including height, weight, body mass, wingspan, hip-to-knee ratio, and other “physical characteristics affected by puberty,”. This would in effect, bar trans student athletes who do not fall within the established limits from participating in gendered sports.

However it should be noted that ‘H.B. 11 Student Eligibility in Interscholastic Activities‘ bill, introduced by Utah House Representative Kera Birkeland (R-Morgan) last Monday, isn’t a blanket ban on trans student athletes like we’ve seen in 10 other states so far.

Rep. Birkeland says that instead of a unilateral ban, the proposed legislation would establish a statewide School Activity Eligibility Commission that would consist of medical professionals, representatives of athletic associations, and school coaches.

Now here is the fine-print…Members of the School Activity Eligibility Commission would be appointed by the president of Utah’s Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the Governor, all of whom are currently Republicans.

This is being viewed by LGBT advocates as another attack on the LGBT Community and they point to the fact that the Utah High School Activities Association, a non-governmental body, already has its own review process for transgender student athletes. If this this bill were to pass, it would effectively put this process under the state’s control.

Voice your opinions and concerns to the Utah GOP Controlled house via Facebook and Twitter.

Article by: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer

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