The Governor of Okhaloma, Kevin Stitt, has signed a bill banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports at K-12 schools or universities in the state.
K–12, from kindergarten to 12th grade, is an American expression that indicates the range of years of publicly supported primary and secondary education found in the United States.
Stitt signed the Senate Bill 2, dubbed “Save Women’s Sports Act” on Wednesday.
The bill passed the Oklahoma Senate with a 79-18 vote last Wednesday.
Oklahoma thus became the 13th American state, and the third this year, to outlaw biological men’s participation in women’s sports.
Stitt, who was surrounded by girls and women athletes as he signed the bill, said it “is just common sense.”
The Republican governor noted, “When it comes to sports and athletics: Girls should compete against girls. Boys should compete against boys. Let’s be very clear — that’s all this bill says.
“We are protecting women’s sports. We’re ensuring a level playing field for female athletes who work hard to train hard, who are committed to their team, who have dreams to be No. 1 in their sport, who deserve a fair competition.
“The reality is, men are biologically different than women.”
On March 3, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a similar bill into law, making the state the 12th to do so.
During the signing of the bill, she said, “It worries me that this bill is needed at all. It’s hard to imagine how anyone who cares about the rights of women and girls could support anything less.
“No amount of talent, training or effort on their part can make up for the natural, physical advantages males have over females.”
Recall that Lia Thomas became the first trans athlete to win a Division I national championship in any sport when she claimed the NCAA Women’s 500-yard freestyle swim on March 17, beating second-placed Emma Weyan by 1.75 seconds.
Thomas’s win sparked public debate on the propriety of trans athletes’ participation in women’s sports, with many critics demanding a total ban.