Governor vetoes Fairness in Women's Sports Act

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has vetoed the state’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.

Wolf’s July 8 veto permits biological males to compete in women’s sports divisions at the college and high school levels.  

The bill had cleared both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature, securing a 115-84 vote from the House in April and clearing the Senate after a narrow 30-20 vote in June. 

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If passed, the bill would have forced athletes to compete in accordance with their biological sex, rather than in accordance with their gender identity.

The act is “discriminatory” and would face “legal challenges for violating federal law and constitutional guarantees of equal protection,” the Governor alleged in his veto message. 

Governor Wolf’s actions stand in contrast to other state leaders, however.

Legislators in at least 19 states including Montana, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona have enacted regulations barring biological men from competing in female divisions. 

In Georgia, the Georgia High School Association executive committee, which “sets standards for the registration, training, and evaluation of officials in all competitive activities,” voted for biological sex-based divisions in state-wide athletics.

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Bu some Pennsylvanians upset with Governor Wolf’s veto are also taking the protection of women athletes into their own hands.

Ten days following Governor Wolf’s veto, the Hempfield School District in Lancaster County approved their own version of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.

“Separate athletic teams on the basis of sex preserve fairness, provide increased opportunity for girls, and are safer,” the policy reads.

Campus Reform contacted Governor Wolf for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.

Follow @Alexaschwerha1 and @J_Gould_ on Twitter