The Alaska Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to approve a ban on transgender athletes participating in girls’ high school sports. The change will apply to all public high schools in the state competing under the Alaska School Activities Association.
Several board members spoke in favor of the regulation, citing safety concerns and questioning the fairness of girls competing against other athletes who were not assigned the female gender at birth.
“I’m not convinced that there isn’t a potential safety issue, or I am convinced there is a physiological difference for sure,” said board member Jeff Erickson. “I think there’s some unfairness. I think the federal law at present protects women’s sports.”
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