Republican Congressman: Pass National Sports Ban To Make Trans People Detransition

Representative Glenn Grothman, in a hearing to ban trans people from playing sports of their gender identity, said a trans sports ban must pass because otherwise, trans people won't "switch back."

Rep Gorthman speaking in favor of a ban on trans youth in sports of their gender identity at the House Government Oversight Committee hearing on Biden’s Title IX policy.

Yesterday, the House Government Oversight Committee held a hearing on Biden's Title IX guidance, which aims to protect the rights of transgender students to participate in sports according to their gender identity. The hearing, occasionally raucous, showcased misinformation that has been propagated in state houses across the United States. In virtually every state with a Republican supermajority, there have been bans passed on transgender individuals' participation in sports. Numerous Republican representatives and witnesses made disparaging remarks about transgender people. Perhaps the most revealing moment occurred when Republican Representative Glenn Grothman stated the underlying reason for transgender sports bans is that, if trans individuals are allowed to play sports, “they might never switch back” to their assigned sex at birth. This indicates a belief that national transgender sports bans and other anti-trans laws should be enacted to persuade transgender people to detransition.

The hearing featured 3 anti-trans witnesses and one in favor of transgender rights. It included Riley Gaines, the swimmer who finished in fifth place, tying with Lia Thomas, who has since become a major conservative influencer on the issue. Also appearing was Kim Russell of Independent Women’s Forum, which similarly lobbies against transgender rights. Likewise, Sarah Parshall Perry from the conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation, which has called for a plan that would declare the existence of transgender people pornographic and obscene, also spoke against the Title IX policy. Fatima Goss Graves of the National Women’s Law Center was allowed to speak in favor of transgender participation.

During an exchange with Perry, Representative Grothman posed a question aimed at justifying a ban on transgender individuals in sports. He inquired, “I sometimes wonder if we normalize the idea of guys playing in women’s sports, are you kind of wondering if we are creating a system which would be tragic if it is true, that some of these guys will never switch back?”

He further commented, “I think it would have been too bad if they would have been one of the 80 or 90% who snap back, but because of this, they won’t.” This statement refers to a discredited claim that a majority of transgender people detransition, whereas only about 1-3% actually do.

In response, Sarah Perry stated, “Playing on a team that you want specifically for your gender identity, not based on sex, is an entry into ultimate medical transitioning and gender identarian surgery.”

Watch the full exchange here:

This statement uncovers a hidden agenda behind anti-transgender legislation. Bills that target transgender individuals in sports are frequently presented as measures to “protect women,” citing presumed advantages these individuals might possess. However, this rationale becomes questionable when considering that these sports bans fail to account for the effects of testosterone suppression. Moreover, the scope of these bans extends beyond elite physical sports, targeting transgender participation in activities like chess, fishing, pool, darts, disc golf, beauty pageants, and more. Ultimately, the true objective of these sports bans becomes apparent: like many anti-transgender bills, they aim to make life sufficiently difficult for transgender individuals, hoping this pressure leads them to detransition.

Forced detransition is clearly a goal when considering other bills Republicans have put forward in stated across the United States this year. Republican supermajorities in 21 states have passed bans on gender affirming care for transgender youth. Many of these states have clauses which tell doctors to “systematically reduce [trans youth’s] hormones” until they are forced to medically detransition. Ohio is hearing a bill today that would immediately pull transgender youth off of their medication. Likewise, Missouri has seen several bills prefiled which remove the grandfather clause for trans youth who have already started care.

The hearing featured several other significant moments. During one exchange, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez highlighted that sports bans are resulting in privacy violations nationwide. She expressed concerns about the enforcement of these bans, including forced medical examinations on both transgender and cisgender youth. Additionally, she noted that some states are contemplating monitoring the menstrual cycles of all female athletes to enforce anti-trans policy. This issue not only impacts the privacy of young athletes but could also potentially be used to target them with anti-abortion legislation.

Another notable moment came when Republican Congressman James Comer stated to Riley Gaines that she “worked so hard to be the best” and that she was “the best at female swimming, there was no question about that.” Riley Gaines has never won a national title and has no conceivable claim to being “the best” female swimmer. She finished in 5th place, tying with trans swimmer Lia Thomas, which is what launched her anti-trans lobbying career. See this exchange:

At one point, the hearing became contentious. Representative Summer Lee, in her opening statement, expressed apprehension that the testimony might turn transphobic. Subsequently, Riley Gaines labeled her a misogynist during her testimony. Rep. Lee sought to have the comment stricken from the record, citing Gaines’ "engaging in personalities," a term for personal attacks, which violates the committee's rules. In response, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene retorted, “men disguising themselves as women are engaging in personalities.”

Despite this, Greene faced no disciplinary action, and Rep. Lee's motion was not upheld.

Concluding the hearing, Representative Lisa McClain, the chair, announced her intention to introduce a national “Save Women’s Sports” act. This legislation aims to prohibit transgender students from participating in sports aligning with their gender identity throughout the United States. Although it's unlikely she has sufficient votes to pass the act, Republicans on the committee appeared to prioritize targeting transgender individuals as a political goal for the future. This focus persists despite significant electoral losses from school boards to governorships in races where transgender issues were central. Presently, several budget appropriation bills include anti-transgender riders, and it's anticipated that more hearings targeting transgender individuals will occur in the upcoming months. This escalation signifies national leaders now engaging in the same discussion that has intensified in state legislatures across the United States.