HARRISBURG – Sen. Michele Brooks (R-50) today praised the final passage of legislation known as the Save Women’s Sports Act that ensures fairness and a level playing field in girls’ women’s athletic competitions across Pennsylvania’s K-12 schools and colleges.
Senate Bill 9, sponsored by Sen. Judy Ward (R-30) and a coalition of senators including Brooks, mandates that school athletic teams designated for females may not be open to biological males. The bill seeks to uphold the integrity of women’s sports and protect the opportunities that generations of female athletes have fought to earn.
“Today is a victory for fairness and common sense,” said Brooks. “I think about the little girls across Pennsylvania who laced up their cleats, grabbed their swim cap, volleyball gear, ice skates or other equipment, and went to practice after school, who gave up weekends for tournaments, who pushed themselves through injury – not because it was easy, but because they had a dream. Increasingly, those are dreams are being pushed out of reach, not because these young women aren’t talented enough, but because they are being asked to compete against individuals who were born male and have genetic advantages.”
The legislation applies to public schools, colleges and universities that are part of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), among others.
Brooks emphasized that the bill does not prevent anyone from participating in sports, but rather ensures that girls’ and women’s teams remain true to their designation, providing equal opportunities for female athletes to compete and succeed.
The bill now advances to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT: Adam Gingrich