FRANKFORT, Ky. — Fischer Wells told Kentucky lawmakers Thursday that she hopes she can play field hockey with her friends next year when she’s in 8th grade.
A bill that passed a Senate committee Thursday would likely keep Wells, a transgender girl, off of the team.
“It’s disgusting that this bill is even suggested,” Wells said in testimony before the committee, with her parents by her side. “I really don’t want this bill to pass because that means I can’t play and it will be extremely detrimental to my mental health as well because I know that sports is a great way for me to cope with things.”
Senate Bill 83, amended by a committee substitute, states, “The state board or any agency designated by the state board to manage interscholastic athletics shall promulgate administrative regulations or bylaws that provide that an athletic activity or sport designated as ‘girls’ shall not be open to members of the male sex.”
Bill sponsor Sen. Robby Mills (R, Henderson) said the legislation is about fairness in sports.
“Boys have athletic advantages even before puberty in cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, speed, agility and power tests,” he said. “A lot of time and effort is put into achieving a certain level of mastery in a sport and it would be crushing for a lady to train her whole career to have it end up competing against a biological male in the state tournament or state finals.”
The ACLU of Kentucky called the legislation unconstitutional and the Fairness Campaign said it would hurt transgender kids.
“If you do pass this bill, the people that you will harm are our youngest and our most vulnerable transgender kids: middle schoolers who do not deserve this level of unfair scrutiny and debate over whether or not they should be able to play with their friends and be included in school life,” said Chris Hartman, the Fairness Campaign’s executive director.
Sen. Danny Carroll (R, Benton) co-sponsored the bill, but said he struggled with the idea of not allowing younger transgender athletes to play on a girls’ team.
The issue is about fairness to “upper echelon athletes,” he said.
“This is not about hate for any kid and it’s very insulting that people try to make it that way,” he said. “It’s about trying to be fair to all of our kids. If a young person decides to identify as a different sex, that’s not for me to decide.”
Sen. Reginald Thomas (D, Lexington) and two other Democrats voted against the measure.
“You are treating people differently here,” Thomas said. “And why are you treating people differently and what’s the agenda behind that?”
The bill moves next to the full Senate for a vote.