Alabama Expands Restrictions on Trans Athletes

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday signed a bill that prohibits transgender athletes from competing in sports at state universities and colleges that do not align with their biological sex.

The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, expands the current ban on transgender athletes participating on K-12 teams and in competitions that do not align with their biological sex. Ivey signed that legislation into law in 2021.

“Look, if you are a biological male, you are not going to be competing in women’s and girls’ sports in Alabama,” Ivey said in a news release. “It’s about fairness, plain and simple.”

Alabama is among 21 states that have imposed restrictions on transgender athletes competing in sports that do not align with their biological sex, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a liberal think tank that maps such legislation.

“This speaks to the fact that Alabama has common sense, that we stand with science, that we want to protect women and make sure they have a safe and level playing field when it comes to competitive athletics at the college level,” DuBose said in a phone interview with the Montgomery Advertiser on Tuesday. “My goal is to protect women athletes.”

On Tuesday night, Ivey used Twitter to reply to an ESPN tweet about the new law in which ESPN wrote: “Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation on Tuesday that will ban transgender women from playing on female sports teams in college.”

Ivey wrote: “Let me fix that, @espn. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation on Tuesday that will ban biological MEN from playing on FEMALE sports teams in college. #alpolitics.”

Earlier this month, a bill that makes it a felony for doctors to provide certain gender-transitioning medical care to minors took effect in Alabama, but it was blocked by a federal judge. Under the law, doctors and other healthcare providers who violate the law, which took effect May 8, could face up to 10 years in prison or a $15,000 fine, or both.