(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says the U-S Supreme Court made the right decision this week to uphold state laws barring transgender athletes from playing on school sports teams. In 2022, Reynolds signed a bill into law that bans transgender athletes from girls and women’s sports in Iowa schools, colleges and universities.
“Everybody should read Justice Thomas’ remarks, I mean, they were really great,” Reynolds said. “Four years ago we passed that law in the state of Iowa. I have granddaughters, I had three daughters, you know. They work hard, they deserve every opportunity to compete and have scholarships.” The nation’s highest court upheld laws in Idaho and West Virginia that were passed before the one Reynolds signed. The court ruled states may determine eligibility for girls’ and women’s sports based on biological sex.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that the laws are consistent with the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause — and the 1972 federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education — including school-sponsored sports. “And that’s what Title IX was all about, so it’s a good ruling and we’re very happy,” Reynolds said, “very happy.”
Back in 2022, Reynolds said Iowa has had an impressive legacy of advancing women’s equality that would be tainted if biological males with inherent physical advantages were allowed to play girls’ and women’s sports. Under Iowa’s law, schools must designate school-sponsored athletic events as men’s, women’s or co-educational.
