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Lawmakers favor females in fight for fairness

Lawmakers favor females in fight for fairness


Pictured: A male athlete who goes by the name Maelle Jacques testifies in front of Tennessee lawmakers, where he demanded the right to participate in female-only sports. 

Lawmakers favor females in fight for fairness

A reporter thinks "it's great news" that the New Hampshire Senate has passed a bill to protect girls' sports.

The goal of SB 375, which passed earlier this month on a 14-10 party-line vote, is to once again make interscholastic and college sports separate based on biological sex. New Hampshire's House Education Committee is now considering the measure.

NewBostonPost reporter Tom Joyce says "it's great news," and he hopes the House and Senate can hash out something on which they both agree and send to Governor Chris Sununu (R). Joyce says he has "absolutely no excuse" not to sign such a bill into law.

While he recognizes that Republican governors in other states like Ohio and Utah have vetoed similar measures, the reporter submits that "New Hampshire's a different animal."

Joyce, Tom (NewBostonPost) Joyce

"This is a state that has several instances of males competing in girls' sports, and they can do something about it," Joyce says. "They've seen the impact it's had on their athletes and on their sports, so I think it's about time they put a stop to it."

For example, a 16-year-old male who goes by the name Maelle Jacques (pictured above) just won a state title in indoor track and field. Jacques is a sophomore, which is to say he could do that again.

The teen testified in opposition to SB 375, claiming he would not have gone through the "bullying" associated with "transitioning" purely to win a sport. But as activist Riley Gaines points out, his win in the women's category with a 5'2" jump was 10 inches lower than the best boys' high jump at 6'0".

With both sides of the debate framing arguments around the issue of fairness, other states across the U.S. are considering similar bills.