Transgender sports ban veto likely to be overridden as politicians and leading sports figures speak out
- Governor Spencer Cox said transgender sports bans target vulnerable kids who already have high rates of suicide attempts
- Conservative Republican lawmakers however argue an outright is needed to preserve fairness and safety in women’s sports
Utah’s Republican lawmakers were preparing for a Friday push to override Governor Spencer Cox’s veto of legislation banning transgender youth athletes from playing on girls teams, a move that comes amid a brewing nationwide culture war over transgender issues.
Cox was the second Republican Party Governor this week to overrule state lawmakers on a sports-participation ban, and his veto letter drew national attention with a poignant argument that such laws target vulnerable kids who already have high rates of suicide attempts. But 11 states have enacted similar bans, and they are a key topic for the party’s vocal conservative base.
In Utah, there are also fears that the law’s passage could scuttle the NBA All-Star game set for February 2023 in Salt Lake City. The owner of the Utah Jazz, tech entrepreneur Ryan Smith, tweeted: “The bill rushed, flawed and won’t hold up over time. I’m hopeful we can find a better way.”
The team is also partially owned by NBA all-star Dwyane Wade, who has a transgender daughter. NBA spokesman Mike Bass has said the league is “working closely” with the Jazz on the matter.
Leaders in the deeply conservative Legislature, though, say they need to pass the law to protect women’s sports. As cultural shifts raise LGBTQ visibility, the lawmakers argue that transgender athletes can have a physical advantage and could eventually dominate the field and change the nature of women’s sports.
Utah has only one transgender girl playing in K-12 sports who would be affected by the ban. There have been no allegations of any of the four transgender youth athletes in Utah having a competitive advantage.
