The Arizona state Legislature has passed a bill to keep biological males out of women’s and girls’ sports. The bill, HCR 2003, will now head to the ballot to be decided by voters this fall.
Background
The bill garnered national attention after a viral spat between Democratic state senator Catherine Miranda and former Utah State volleyball star Kaylie Ray in March. Ray, who was an opponent of San Jose State during the school’s trans athlete scandal from 2022-24, advocated for the bill at a hearing in March, and Miranda responded by commenting about her body and questioning her competitiveness.
Ray has a final word for Miranda, saying, ‘This is what the people want. This is what the American public wants, safe places for our daughters to achieve and excel… It’s not about exclusion. It’s about including those girls who are losing opportunities to boys.’
Bill Details
The measure would require Arizona schools and athletic associations to designate interscholastic or intramural teams as male, female or coeducational based on biological sex. It would prohibit teams designated for females, women or girls from being opened to athletes of the male sex, while allowing athletes to compete on teams aligned with their sex or on male or coed teams.
The bill also adds rules for athletic facilities, barring schools and athletic associations from authorizing individuals to use restrooms, locker rooms, shower rooms or similar athletic private spaces that are not designated for that individual’s sex. The bill defines sex as male or female as recorded at birth on an original birth certificate.
Ray is part of a lawsuit against San Jose State University alongside 10 other former Mountain West Conference volleyball players. She also spoke on the steps of the Supreme Court in January during oral arguments over two big women’s sports cases that will be ruled on this month.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
