A Tennessee lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require elementary through high school students to compete in sports according to their biological sex.

Tennessee State Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) introduced HB 1572, also called the Girls Athletic Protection Act (GAP Act), which if passed would make Tennessee the first state in the nation to have such a requirement.

According to a summary of the bill, HB 1572 “requires elementary and secondary schools that receive public funding to ensure that student athletes participate in school-sanctioned sports based on the student’s biological sex as indicated on certificate issued at time of birth.”

The Tennessee Star reported, “As a penalty for violating this law, a district attorney can bring civil action against a state or local official who intentionally violates this act.” The official could be subject to a $10,000 penalty, be forced to vacate their position and become ineligible to hold a public office, school administration or principal position for five years.

The problem of biological males completing in women’s sports has become a recent phenomenon which The Daily Citizen has covered extensively. For example, we brought you the story of the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) inquiry into Connecticut’s policy that allows boys to compete in girls’ sports. According to the complaint that the DOE is investigating, two male high school track athletes have taken 15 state championship titles away from girls.

In a statement to the Tennessee Star, Rep. Griffey said, “With House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushing through passage in the U.S. House of Representative HR 5 – the Equality Act – that, among other things, creates a civil right for male athletes to self-identify as females in sports competitions, I believe it is important for states to take a stand. This is what I seek to do through the filing of House Bill 1572.”

The movement to allow boys to complete in girls’ sports has received little pushback from lawmakers, until now.

Let’s pray the lawmakers of Tennessee have the good sense to prohibit boys from competing in girls’ sports, and that other states follow their lead. 

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