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Texas lawmakers vote on transgender athletes in college sports
The ability of Transwomen to compete in Texas collegiate athletics was put to a key vote Wednesday at the State Capitol. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan shares what happened.
HOUSTON - On the floor of the Texas House, a "pre-emptive" battle was waged over "fairness" in women's sports.
PREVIOUS: Texas House passes bill restricting the college sports teams transgender athletes can join
As proposed, Senate Bill 15 would ban in the state of Texas transitioning women born male from competing in female college athletics.
"It is not fair that our young women are watching their records get broken, accolades taken and scholarships awarded, not to other women, but to biological men," said State Representative Valoree Swanson, a Houston Republican. "This is about fairness."
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Bill could restrict transgender athletes on college level
**EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from a previous report** Lawmakers eye a bill that could limit transgender female and male athletes.
Opponents called the ban discriminatory and unnecessary, labeling the legislation "a solution in search of a problem."
"There are no known transgender collegiate athletes in Texas college sports, not a one," said State Representative John Bucy, an Austin Democrat.
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And yet elsewhere in the nation, transgender athletes allowed to compete against biological females have posted dominating performances which researchers attribute to larger hearts, greater lung capacity, denser skeletal structure, and 36 percent more muscle mass on average.
"Regardless of hormone suppression, male athletes consistently achieve performances 10 to 50 percent better than comparably fit and trained female athletes," said Swanson.
For many in the Republican-dominated House, the prospect of competitive "unfairness" easily trumped progressive calls for "inclusion".
"She has lost her spot on the team to him. What do I tell her? How is that fair? How is that the pro-women's position to allow men to take women's spots on the team?" asked State Representative Jeff Leach of Plano.
"I would say, it's fair for everyone to compete, and I want that trans-athlete to be included also," responded Bucy.
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Others called SB-15 a vehicle of bigotry.
"We are sending a message that discrimination based on gender identity is acceptable and it is not," said State Representative Ana Maria Ramos of Richardson.
SEE ALSO: Pivotal House vote moves Texas closer to banning puberty blockers, hormone treatments for trans kids
The ban on transgender women competing in Texas collegiate sports gained overwhelming House approval on a 93 to 49 vote and appears headed to the Governor's desk.