DENTON (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Amid chants of “protect trans lives,” dozens of people—including members of the LGBTQ community—stood outside Texas Woman’s University with a message for Governor Greg Abbott about the new state law requiring athletes at public colleges and universities to compete on teams the same as their biological sex.
“I think he needs to realize trans people are people, trans Texans are Texans, and his legislation is supposed to protect Texans. But he’s not protecting trans people, he’s hurting trans people,” said one student named Eliot.
Inside, at the Texas Woman’s Hall of Fame, two former college swimmers Paula Scanlon and Riley Gaines joined lawmakers and athletes as Gov. Abbott signed the Save Women’s Sports Act.
Gaines, an NCAA all-American at the University of Kentucky, said when she competed last year against Lia Thomas, a transgender woman at the University of Pennsylvania, they tied—but only Thomas received a trophy.
She said it was unfair to her and other women.
“When Governor Abbott signed the Save the Womens Sports Act this summer, he sent a message to approximately 15 million Texan women that they will be treated fairly on the playing fields, in the sports arenas, and inside the locker rooms,” Gaines said.
Protesters said many people in the LGBTQ community feel as if Republicans at the Capitol have been targeting their community.
“We’re here standing against the flood of legislation that has been attacking trans people,” Denton resident Jo Hargis said. “We’re here today to stand up and say we don’t agree with Greg Abbott attacking trans athletes.”
State Representative Terry Meza (D-Irving) voted against the Save Women’s Sports legislation and other bills. “We’ve had anti-LGBTQ bills before, but this session had an unusually high number, so I do understand their concerns they feel targeted.”
The governor had a message for protestors and others opposed to the Save Women’s Sports Act:
“How will they explain to Riley and Paula and to other women how they have been marginalized? They’re the ones who went through the training, not the protesters out there. They devoted their lives, working harder probably than anybody in this room. Longer days, longer nights, sacrificing so much to achieve a goal, only to have the goal erased by being forced to compete against a man.”
Paula Scanlon, who swam for the University of Pennsylvania and was a teammate of Thomas said, “Any discussion of maintaining the sanctity of women’s sports is labeled transphobic, bigoted and hateful. What’s bigoted and hateful is the discrimination against women and girls happening across the country.”
The new law takes effect Sept. 1, and the governor vowed to defend it vigorously if challenged in court.
Private colleges and universities in Texas can follow the new state law but are not required to do so.
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