FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Gavin Miller
gavin.miller@house.mn.gov
Minnesota House Democrats Vote Against Preserving Girls’ Sports Act
St. Paul - [03/04/25] – On Monday this week, 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 would have restricted participation in girls' sports to biological females, addressing concerns over competitive fairness, safety, and opportunity.
House Democrats unanimously voted against this bill, allowing biological males to compete in girls' athletic programs, a decision that Representative Stier (R-Belle Plaine) says undermines fairness and threatens the integrity of women's sports.
“My youngest daughter is a competitive swimmer, and she’s come a long way. After attending so many swim camps and lessons, she’s really come into her own and is consistently beating her personal bests,” said Stier. “She’s worked so hard to get into her high school’s swim program, and it’s disappointing to know that the competitive field has been expanded to include biological males with greater lung capacity and wingspans – an incredible advantage in competitive swimming,” Stier added.
HF 12, the Preserving Girls' Sports Act, 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.
“This is the kind of commonsense legislation that should have passed without question,” said Stier. “The vast majority of Minnesotans agree that forcing young girls to compete against boys who have a built-in advantage, is not progress, it’s a mockery of girls athletic programs and everything they’ve worked so hard for.”
The floor vote followed a rally earlier in the day on the Capitol steps, which featured Riley Gaines, a 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer and advocate for fair female athletics, who has been outspoken about the need to protect women’s sports from unfair competition. Gaines and other speakers, addressed the crowd, emphasizing 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.