Standing Up for the Sanctity of Women's Sports

Floor Speech

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Mr. MOONEY. Madam Speaker, on April 18, five brave young girls had the courage to stand up for their rights in Harrison County, West Virginia. These 13-year-old girls showed more guts and courage in their convictions than most grownups.

These student athletes competed in the 2024 Harrison County Middle School Championship track and field meet. These girls from Lincoln Middle School stepped up to the circle for their turn before refusing to throw in the shot put event. They were showing solidarity in protest of the participation of Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 13-year-old boy. Pepper-Jackson won the event by recording a throw of 32 feet. The second-place competitor, who was actually a female, finished with a 29- foot throw.

West Virginia State law bans transgenders--in other words, boys pretending to be girls--from playing on girls' sports teams. However, a recent Federal court ruled the law could not be lawfully applied to Pepper-Jackson.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey quickly stepped up and filed an amicus brief in support of the five athletes and asked the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on transgender student-athlete bans for a second time on behalf of the parents who filed a complaint with the local county board of education.

As a result of their protest and appearance at a press conference with West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the five girls were barred from competing in their next track meet and also subject to punitive sprints in practice.

These strong girls should be rewarded, not punished, for standing up for the sanctity of women's sports. Young women should not be forced to compete against young men. No school in West Virginia, nor anywhere in America, should turn a blind eye to this woke nonsense.

Former college swimmer Riley Gaines, who has been an outspoken critic of trans athletes participating in girls' sports, has weighed in on the issue, writing in a post on X: ``These girls stood up for what they believed, and their coach barred them from competing. Insane.''

I applaud Riley on for her amazing work advocating for young girls and women in sports.

Now, more than ever, it is important to address the unfairness in our society and the right to peacefully protest as our Constitution allows. These constant assaults on the sanctity of women's sports threaten the future of fair athletic competition in our country. The ramifications of allowing men into women's sports are far greater than simply allowing men to put on a women's uniform.

We have seen numerous examples of stronger men seriously injuring young women and girls in contact sports. Millions of young women are also being exposed to uncomfortable situations in which men are present in women's locker rooms.

Only God can create men and women. It is simply wrong for any parent to think they can or should even try to change the sex of their child. Male athletes who can't win competing against other males who then choose to take advantage of bad laws to steal titles from women are truly a threat to females.

We should be less focused on offending an individual's feelings than protecting the physical safety of our daughters who simply want to compete against other women.

Radical trans policies are out of touch with not only the facts but the pulse of this great country. We must stand up against this nonsense and unlimited overreach on the fringes.

I applaud the five young women in my district for standing up for themselves and being examples of strength as this fight for women's sports goes on.

Madam Speaker, God bless these young ladies.

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