Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (2) – 5/10/21
On May 7, Gov. Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 112, which required sports teams to be defined by “the biological sex” of its athletes, according to the bill. It also explicitly states that women’s sports teams should not include students of the “male sex.” While supporters of the bill say it will protect equality in sports, opponents say it is a blow to transgender rights. “This bill unfairly targets trans youth and puts millions of federal education dollars at risk. It is an unnecessary and harmful policy that comes at a massive cost to the state,” said Shawn Reagor, a lobbyist for the Montana Human Rights Network, in a statement to Montana Free Press on the organization’s behalf.