New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has signed a bill that would ban transgender athletes in grades 5 through 12 from playing on teams that match their gender identity, adding the state to nearly half the country that has passed similar measures.
The bill passed by the Republican-led House would require schools to designate all teams as girls, boys or co-ed, with eligibility determined based on students’ birth certificates “or other evidence.” Supporters of the legislation said they wanted to protect girls from injury caused by bigger, stronger transgender athletes.
Sununu signed the bill into law Friday, saying in a statement that it “ensures fairness and safety in women’s sports by maintaining the integrity and competitive balance in athletic competitions.” It will take effect in 30 days.
Megan Tuttle, president of NEA-New Hampshire, a union representing public school employees, criticized Sununu.
“Public schools should be safe and welcoming environments for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,” she said in a statement. “Shame on Governor Sununu for signing this law that excludes students from sports, which can help foster a sense of belonging so essential to young people’s growth.”
Sununu also signed a bill Friday that would ban gender reassignment surgery for transgender minors. The measure will take effect Jan. 1, 2025. Such procedures have been available in the United States for more than a decade and are endorsed by major medical associations.
“This bill aims to protect the health and safety of New Hampshire children and has enjoyed bipartisan support,” Sununu wrote.
Sununu vetoed another measure that would have allowed public and private entities to discriminate on the basis of “biological sex” in communal restrooms and locker rooms, sporting events and detention centers. Sununu pointed to a law enacted in 2018 that banned discrimination in employment, public accommodations and housing based on gender identity. He said the problem with the current bill “is that in some cases it seeks to address problems that have not arisen in New Hampshire and in doing so invites unnecessary divisiveness.”
In April, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced it would ban transgender women to participate in women’s sportsThe National Association of Small Colleges Presidents Council approved a policy 20-0 that only students who were assigned female at birth can participate in women’s sports. The new policy also blocks transgender women or nonbinary students who are taking masculinizing hormone therapy.
In the meantime, West Virginia and Idaho are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review decisions that blocked enforcement of state laws banning transgender athletes from competing in sports.
