Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 25 on January 18, marking the day a massive violation of human rights goes into effect. House Bill 25 will prohibit transgender students in high school and middle school to play on sports teams corresponding with their gender identity. 

This bill shouldn’t have even been taken into consideration by state officials, let alone passed, as the reasoning behind its existence is simply illogical and nonsensical. The bill goes against previous laws to protect students from being discriminated against in school settings for their gender identity.

House Bill 25 blatantly dismisses the IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which bans discrimination on the basis of sex in public schools. Despite this law’s existence, Abbot choseto completely ignore it, and play on a game made of his own volition. 

In professional sports, this law does not apply,  the only exception being an athlete who has not yet medically transitioned with taking testosterone or estrogen. According to Stillmed Olympics “Everyone, regardless of their gender identity, expression and/or sex variations should be able to participate in sport safely and without prejudice.” 

Even outside of the Olympics, American countrywide competitions such as professional volleyball and wrestling allow transgender athletes once they have transitioned with hormones. There is no logical reason professional athletes may play on teams of their gender while high school and middle school athletes are forbidden,  especially considering that males and females are on a similar playing field in adolescence, strength wise.

Part of the reason this law exists is the argument that someone could pretend to be transgender to give advantages to a team of either binary gender. People believe predatory men would attempt to join a women’s team to either harass the players or provide an advantage against other teams. Because of the violence transgender people, especially transgender women, are threatened with on a daily basis, it is incredibly unlikely for a cisgender person to pretend to be a transgender woman.

Allowing this discrimination against transgender students is cruel. Every student deserves a supportive school environment where they can feel comfortable to express themselves. However, this law removes students from being able to comfortably play their sports. This law needs to be overturned, as it only perpetuates the false ideas that transgender individuals are liars who want an easier path through life.