An executive order signed by the Nassau County executive on Thursday essentially bars trans women from participating in women’s sports teams at facilities run by the county, and forces sports leagues to comply with the measure or lose access to fields and facilities.
“There’s too much bullying going on of biological males trying to inject themselves and women in female sports, and we will not tolerate that in Nassau County,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said at a press conference on Thursday.
The county licenses more than 100 facilities to sports leagues, which can be banned from using these spaces if they don’t comply with the new measure, according to the executive order, which Gothamist obtained a copy of.
The sports leagues will need to affirmatively state that they are in compliance with the order – which went into effect immediately after Blakeman signed it – or lose access, Blakeman echoed at the press conference.
Sports teams must comply when “applying for a use and occupancy permit to utilize Nassau County parks property for the purposes of organizing a sporting event or competition,” the order reads.
In the United States, 25 states have laws or regulations banning transgender youth from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity – affecting 38% of transgender youth in the country, according to data from the Movement Advancement Project. In April, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban trans athletes from female sports teams – but the legislation did not receive the support of President Joe Biden or the Democrat-run Senate.
During the press conference, Blakeman spoke alongside dozens of girls holding signs that read ‘Protect women’s rights.’ Kim Russell, a former lacrosse coach at Oberlin College who was demoted after she spoke out against transgender athletes, was also in attendance.
“I just want to thank County Executive Blakeman for being a pioneer – and…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply