Minnesota House Democrats Vote Down Preserving Girls' Sports Act
ST. PAUL - [03/05/25] - On Monday, Minnesota House legislators convened to vote on the Republican-led Preserving Girls' Sports Act, aimed at ensuring the safety and fairness of young girls' athletics. The bill sought to restrict participation in girls' sports to biological females, addressing concerns over competitive fairness, safety, and opportunity.
House Democrats voted unanimously against the bill, allowing biological males to compete in girls' athletic programs. Representative Ben Davis (R-Merrifield) argues that this decision reflects a fundamental lack of respect for female athletes and the years of progress made by women who have fought for fair and equal competition.
“Watching all 66 Democrats vote against the safety and athletic opportunities of young girls was disheartening,” said Davis. “Biological differences matter. Title IX was designed to provide equal opportunities for female athletes, and allowing males to compete against girls undermines decades of progress for women in sports.”
The Preserving Girls' Sports Act (HF 12) aimed to prohibit males from competing in sports designated for girls and women, ensuring that female students would have fair and equal opportunities in school sports. Representative Davis highlighted widespread public support for the bill, stating, “Minnesotans are tired of fighting for basic common sense while grappling with years of poor governance from the Democrat Party."
Davis continued, "most agree that forcing young girls to compete against biological males isn’t just nonsensical—it’s dangerous. As a protective father of four daughters, this issue hits even closer to home for me. We even had a high-school girl testify in committee about a broken wrist she sustained while competing against a male athlete.”
The floor vote followed a rally earlier in the day on the Capitol steps, where Riley Gaines, a 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer and advocate for fair female athletics, addressed the crowd. Gaines, who has been outspoken about protecting women’s sports from unfair competition, emphasized the importance of safeguarding opportunities for female athletes.
After the vote, Republicans tabled the bill for future consideration, signaling ongoing efforts to bring attention to the issue and continue the fight for fairness in women’s sports.