WASHINGTON — House Republicans passed a bill Thursday that would bar transgender women and girls from playing on athletic teams that correspond with their gender identity, a key campaign promise that Democrats denounced as cruel and discriminatory.
The measure, which cleared the House on a party-line vote of 219-203, is part of a larger campaign waged by conservatives around the nation to curtail transgender civil rights.
At least 21 states have adopted laws barring trans women and girls from participating in high school and college sports consistent with their gender identity. The American Civil Liberties Union says it is currently tracking 467 anti-LGBTQ measures, including proposals that ban drag shows, prevent trans youth from receiving gender-affirming health care and prevent trans students from changing their pronouns without parental permission.
