Sen Shares Update

In a September newsletter, I shared with you my belief that the state should take action to protect the integrity of women’s intercollegiate sports in Indiana. On Thursday, with a bipartisan vote of 42-6, I proudly sponsored and helped pass House Enrolled Act 1041.

This legislation states that only biological females, based on a person’s sex at birth, can participate in female intercollegiate sports at Indiana colleges and universities.

As I explained on the Senate floor, the competitive advantages of athletes born male are self-evident, and even a small number of individuals crossing over into women’s sports can have a significantly harmful impact.

Women have lost scholarships, suffered injuries and had dreams dashed. This can be especially true in sports like swimming and cross country, where athletes compete nationally for a limited number of individual invitations to championship events.

We know athletic directors and coaches are incentivized to take every competitive advantage they can, and this is one advantage that is worth eliminating from Indiana before it gets out of hand.

I believe in treating all people with kindness and love and in no way do efforts to preserve a space for women to compete against each other violate those values. The bill is about fairness and drawing common sense boundaries. I am proud I could help get them closer to state law.