It's another tough day for transgender children. While their lives are already difficult trying to figure out their identity among many who don't believe that their personal battle is real, people are still set on taking their rights away. Gender is a spectrum, yet many feel as if the sexual organs we were born with are how we're defined.
Florida's House of Representatives reportedly approved a bill that makes it OK for children a child's gender to be confirmed (which is impossible to do, as gender is not biological) to make sure that they fit the right team. That means that if your child was born with male anatomical parts yet identifies as a female, she will be disqualified to play on a sports team with other young women the second this claim is doubted.
Not only does this feed into transphobia, but it puts children in a terribly awkward and uncomfortable position. Rumors about the bill were flying, leading to prior misinformation about what would actually happen if a student was asked to be tested. Children would not be asked to disrobe publicly. Instead, according to the bill, "the school or institution to request a certain health examination and consent form or other statement from the student's health care provider to verify the student's biological sex under certain circumstances."
The bill is called the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, and it shockingly passed the Florida House 77-40. That means that now it's on to the Senate. Not only would it make it more difficult for a trans women from playing school sports with other women based on a perceived unfair advantage, but it would make them feel guilty for their own identity.
Many people who are anti-trans don't fully understand transsexuality. For children who are born trans, they don't feel comfortable in the gender role that they've been assigned. Even if they have male anatomical parts, they see and understand themselves as feel. Others who were born female feel more comfortable and natural as male. Others consider themselves nonbinary, which means neither male nor female fits that person's identity.
It's more common than people might think.
It's just that many people felt the need to keep quiet about it, based on societal norms. And that's a shame. According to UCLA, 1.4 million adults in the US identify as being transgender. There may be many more who are hiding it based on cultural beliefs, or fear. For some people, coming out may mean being ostracized by their family.
Forbes reported on a study that said that over half of transgender children and nonbinary children have had thoughts of suicide. That in itself should show others how difficult these decisions are. Being trans isn't a choice. Instead, it's one of the most painful transitions some children will ever go through, especially in a nonsupportive community.
This bill makes their situation even worse. Instead of focusing on human rights, and kids of all identities having fun playing sports, the law feels as if transgender females may have an advantage on a female team. And that, to them, trumps all other reasoning. The bill states that it's meant to "maintain opportunities for female athletes." While trans females aren't banned from playing, they do have to face extra hurdles. From the bill, a female student needs to prove "that her total testosterone level in serum has been below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months."
This bill is a big step back for trans rights. Students who wish to play also need to have their total testosterone level in serum "remain below 10 nmol/L throughout the period of desired eligibility to compete in the female category." It's a pressure that the other women on the team don't need to face.
In a way, you can state that this bill puts athletic sports over human rights. The fact that so many politicians support it is quite appalling for many. Those who are transgender are already facing daily prejudice. Plus, it's hard not to think that some teachers may take advantage of this policy if they, themselves, may feel transphobic.
"It is important to know — and quite alarming, that research finds that transgender youth are at greatest risk of suicide (compared to their non-transgender peers) as a result of rejection, bullying, and other victimization," writes the Human Rights Campaign. "In other words, for some transgender youth, family support can be the difference between life and death. Parents and caregivers can find resources, peer support, and professional guidance to help along the journey, and to insure that your child can not just survive, but thrive."
This bill will do neither. Instead, it'll make transgender children feel more alone.
The kids also agree that this law would be taking so much away. The Human Rights Campaign recently talked to a boy named Daniel, who said that through sports, he found more support. "It would be so bad if these bills were signed into law," he wrote. "I've met so many of my close friends by playing basketball and they've really become a support system for me throughout middle school. The bills targeting access to health care are even more dangerous and could have horrible impacts on kids like me."
It would be terrible to deny health care solely based on how someone identifies — which is something that doesn't affect the general population in any way. "Legislators are always asking for public opinion on new laws, or community projects — why aren't they doing the same for these bills that'll hurt trans people?" Daniel continued. "They aren't listening to what we have to say."
"These bills are essentially trying to deny that trans people even exist," Daniel noted. "They're claiming that kids can't understand their gender or gender identity, that they can't know what being trans is. But this dismissiveness isn't okay. We don't question how cisgender kids or adults came to understand their identity, so why do we do it to trans people? Legislators are denying that trans people exist by denying them the care and resources they need to survive."
Can you imagine telling a child that they can't play a harmless sport that they enjoy just because they were born in the wrong body? Or, if they have to cancel their treatment and regiment for transitioning just to quality for a spot? Aside from competition, sports are meant to be a fun way for children to bond, socialize, and enjoy an activity. That's why sports are important. Sports can bond people together, but this bill may end up breaking them even further apart.
Luckily, there are many organizations trying to fight this before it possibly becomes a law. The NCAA Board of Governors released a statement in regard to transgender rights in sports. The board claims that it "firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports," adding, "This commitment is grounded in our values of inclusion and fair competition."
"NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected," the board confirmed. "We will continue to closely monitor these situations to determine whether NCAA championships can be conducted in ways that are welcoming and respectful of all participants."
Support like this is necessary and a good sign that large organizations care about the rights of the trans community. It's a step in the right direction, despite the fact that many are trying to take away the progress that the community has achieved.
