West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signs anti-Trans youth sports bill
Brody LevesqueNational
CHARLESTON, WVA. – West Virginia’s Republican governor Jim Justice on Wednesday signed HB 3293, a bill that bans transgender youth athletes from competing in women sports in the state’s middle, high schools and colleges.
West Virginia is one of 30 states that has introduced a slate of discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ legislation this session, part of a fast and furious effort led by national anti-LGBTQ groups aiming to stymie LGBTQ progress made on the national level and in many states.
The bill had cleared the West Virginia House of Delegates last month in a 78-20 vote before passing the Senate in a 18-15 vote on April 8 after provisions to cover colleges were added.
Justice told the Associated Press earlier this week that he would “proudly” sign the bill despite warnings from some lawmakers that the NCAA could retaliate and decide not to hold college tournaments in the state.
“It concerns me that we may miss out on a really important sporting event or something like that that could come to West Virginia,” Justice said. “However, I think the benefits of it way outweigh the bad part of it.”
“We regret the governor has signed this cruel and unlawful bill after refusing to meet with young transgender West Virginians and their family members,” the American Civil Liberties Union’s West Virginia chapter said. It added in its statement: “ACLU-WV stands ready to intervene whenever and wherever this harmful law is enforced.”
Andrew Schneider, executive director of Fairness West Virginia, an LGBTQ advocacy group, said Wednesday that “transgender children are worthy of love and support. They deserve the chance to learn and grow in the classroom and on the field.”
The legislation is part of an effort driven by the Alliance Defending Freedom, (ADF), a group that the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group. The first anti-trans sports bill was in Montana, HB 112, and was pushed by and worked on by the ADF.
The president of the Human Rights Campaign, Alphonso David in a media statement labeled the actions of West Virginia lawmakers and the Governor as “cruel ” adding that the Governor is not only “hurting the health and safety of transgender children, but also West Virginians who will suffer the consequences of this law — including economic harm, expensive taxpayer-funded legal battles, and a tarnished reputation.”
The American Civil Liberties Union vowed to challenge the new law in court. “We will see West Virginia in court,” the group tweeted.