CEC Condemns Advancement of Sexual Predator Empowerment Act

Washington, DC — After the House Judiciary Committee advanced H.R. 1028, the so-called “Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act,” which would be more aptly titled the “Sexual Predator Empowerment Act,” Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano, CEC Co-Chair Rep. Becca Balint, and CEC Transgender Equality Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal released the following statements:

“Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee just voted to subject young girls to invasive exams in order to ‘prove’ their gender if they want to participate in sports—it’s sickening,” said Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. “Sexual abuse is unfortunately all too common in sports, and now Republicans, as part of their anti-transgender crusade, want to dictate what sports team children can play on based on their ‘reproductive system.’ Transgender people play sports to learn sportsmanship, challenge themselves, and find community. Now, in their attempt to ban them from playing sports, Republicans want to force local sports organizations to adopt invasive screening procedures—threatening the safety and wellbeing of all young girls across the nation who just want to participate on sports teams. I urge my colleagues to reject this dangerous, anti-woman, and anti-transgender bill when it comes to the floor.”
 
"Forcing gender checks before sporting events has nothing to do with protection for women and girls," said Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL), Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and member of the House Judiciary Committee. "This hate bill makes it clear that Republicans would rather make participation in sports more dangerous for all women in their obsessive, one-sided war on trans people than focus on what is actually impacting families, like rising costs that keep kids from participating in sports at all. Everyone deserves the opportunity to play and enjoy the teamwork, confidence, and happiness that comes with it."
 
“This discriminatory bill is nothing more than an attempt to score cheap political points at the expense of transgender Americans. It tells some of our country’s most vulnerable individuals that they do not belong,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus's Transgender Equality Task Force and member of the House Judiciary Committee. “Republicans don’t care about protecting women’s and girls’ sports – if they did, they would focus on the lack of financial resources and prominent pay gaps. But instead, they’re going after gender inclusivity and trans Americans. Countless sport’s governing bodies and organizations have rejected categorical bans on trans athletes, and so should Congress. I will continue to fight for the right of trans individuals to participate in all aspects of society and live full lives full of dignity, respect, and equality.”


BACKGROUND
H.R. 1028, the so-called “Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act,” would require all National Governing Bodies to ban transgender girls and women from participating in athletic events for girls and women. Specifically, the bill would amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and add a new eligibility requirement that an amateur sports organization, in order to be eligible to be certified or continue to be certified as an NGB, must ban trans girls and trans women from participating in amateur athletic competitions—including contests, games, meets, matches, tournaments, regattas, or other similar events—designated for girls and women. The bill mandates that a person’s eligibility be determined by their “reproductive system.”
 
This bill have limited impact on the Olympics, as out of the tens of thousands of people who’ve competed in the Olympics in the past 2 decades, only a literal handful of trans athletes have even qualified and the United States has only ever sent one transgender woman to the Olympics—an alternate who ultimately did not compete. It would, however, have a significant impact on young people, as youth make up a significant portion of some NGB membership. For example, 97.5% of USA Swimming’s 2024 members were under the age of 19—and 57.8% were under the age of 13—and more than two thirds of USA Hockey players are youth players. Under this bill, these young children would need to play on gendered teams based on their “reproductive system”—opening them up to invasive exams and potentially abuse by bad actors. Sexual harassment and abuse is common against athletes, and this bill provides a new tool for predators to use against both children and adults.
 
In advance of today’s markup of H.R. 1028, nearly 50 women’s rights and gender justice organizations, including the National Women’s Law Center wrote to oppose the bill.  The letter explained that “the practical effect of legislation like H.R. 1028 is that far more youth athletes, who are participating through various NGBs’ youth sports programs in our country, may be excluded from sports entirely” as “many NGBs…oversee a wide range of participatory sports, especially at the youth level.” The letter highlighted how categorical bans like this bill “perpetuate harmful and dangerous stereotypes that lead to the policing and harassment of cisgender girls and women.” The letter further highlighted how “Olympic history provides countless examples of invasive sex and gender verification testing. These practices have ranged from the physical examination of girls and women’s genitals; to hormone, chromosomal, or other genetic testing; to requiring girls and women to provide information regarding their menstrual cycle.” In addition, more than 30 civil rights, human rights, and religious organizations wrote to oppose the bill.