Library of Congress

Women march for equality on the streets of Washington D.C. in 1970.

The reoccurring issue of transgender women competing with cisgender women is more pertinent than ever with House Bill 68 being brought into discussion. The issue goes farther than House Bill 68, touching on the writing in Title IX, an educational amendment brought up to protect women.
The bill examines the practice of keeping cisgender women in their division and those assigned male at birth in theirs. It would stop the inevitable advantages that transgender women have over cisgender women.
No matter what hormones transgender women are taking, there are always uncontrollable biological advantages. Post-pubescent people assigned male at birth have bigger hearts, more lung capacity and larger bone structure, already placing them at a 10%–12% performance advantage in running and swimming and a 20% advantage in jumping events than the cisgender women they are competing against.
However, this has not stopped athletic departments allowing transgender women competing based on their gender identity.
House Bill 68 is not just about transgender women but also transgender men. “House Bill 68 requires schools, colleges, and universities participating in athletic competitions or events to create separate, single-sex sports teams.”
The bill protects the rights of cisgender women athletes that they have worked hard to deserve.
With demands from both parties to protect the rights of cisgender women in sports, many democrats find it convenient to use Title IX to defend inclusion of transgender women into women’s sports, claiming that organizations cannot discriminate against sex.
Title IX was created to stop the discrimination of sex in educational programs and activities. The law was mainly put in place to keep women in sports safe with the same opportunities. Before Title IX, women were limited in sports that they played and had unfair treatment causing Title IX to be put into play with the second wave of feminism in 1972.
The language of this title was changed back in December to not allow transgender women to compete with cisgender women, although it allowed transgender men to compete with either sex.
The issue with this is that it would be allowing those assigned male at birth that are on testosterone to compete with cisgender women. The testosterone hormone occurring in those assigned male at birth gives them a greater bone density, the ability to build muscle, and increases endurance. All variables in the performance level at which they compete at.
Therefore, those assigned male at birth should only be allowed to compete with the cisgender men because it will bring a more equal playing field for them.
House Bill 68 has flaws, one being taking healthcare away from people wanting to get transitioning care. No one should have the government directing or controlling what they can and can’t do with their bodies.
Legislation needs to stop making exceptions for minorities that affect the majority. A majority of women who are competing at the national level have worked hard to earn their spot, but they are being affected by the NCAA’s inability to hurt their feelings.

Editor’s note 2/2/2024: Instances of “biological men/women” changed to “those assigned male/female at birth”