South Dakota on Thursday became the first state in 2022 to enact a transgender athlete ban.
Why it matters: The new law signed by Republican Gov. Kristi Noem bars trans girls and women from participating in school sports that align with their gender identity. It's the 10th state in the U.S. to implement such a measure, according to think tank Movement Advancement Project.
- The bill claims to "protect fairness in women's sports." Conservatives have claimed that biological differences make it unfair for cisgender women and girls to compete against trans athletes who were assigned male at birth.
- But several states, including Arkansas and West Virginia, have proved unable to provide evidence of trans athletes having an advantage in competitions.
Details: The ban allows students and educational institutions to sue any organizational entity — including school districts and activities associations — that causes them to suffer "direct or indirect harm" as a result of violating the law.
- It's now in effect for all state-accredited schools, which covers most public and private schools, NBC News reports.
The big picture: 2021 saw a record number of bills targeting trans youth.
- Fears about trans athletes have roots in wider LGBTQ terror that stretches to victim-blaming strategies in murder cases, a St. Edward’s University professor told Axios' Asher Price last October.
Go deeper: Elite trans athletes decry youth sports bans
