In two big wins for Republicans, the Kentucky state legislature voted Wednesday to override Gov. Andy Beshear’s vetoes of bills banning transgender athletes from competing in female sports and protecting unborn children.
With GOP lawmakers’ vote to override Beshear’s veto of the Save Women’s Sports legislation, Kentucky became the sixth state this year and the 15th overall to prohibit men and boys who identify as female from competing against girls and women, NBC News reported.
When the Democratic governor vetoed Senate Bill 83 on April 6, he claimed that it “most likely violates the equal protection rights afforded by the United States Constitution because it discriminates against transgender children seeking to participate in girls’ or women’s sports,” according to WLKY-TV.
But those who supported the bill argued that it was necessary to ensure a fair playing field for female athletes.
University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who competed against transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas in an NCAA championship race, spoke out in favor of the legislation.