GUEST EDITORIAL: Protecting Girls Sports Through the Riley Gaines Act

By State Representative Josh Bonner (R-Fayetteville) 

 

In 2022, female athlete Riley Gaines competed in the 200-meter freestyle final at the NCAA Women’s Championships here in Georgia. But when Riley faced the unfairness of competing against a biological male, Lia Thomas (formerly Will Thomas), she witnessed firsthand the consequences of policies that fail to protect women’s sports and spaces. This wasn’t just an unfair competition, it was an attack on equal opportunity, safety and dignity for female athletes. Unfortunately, many female athletes’ hard-earned positions, years of dedication and rightful victories have been stolen, just like Riley’s. This experience led Riley to become a champion for protecting girls’ sports and preserving the integrity of female athletics on a national level.

Here in Georgia, the House is taking action to ensure that what happened to Riley never happens again through House Bill 267, The Riley Gaines Act. Her story is a stark reminder of why we need strong, clear laws to protect women’s sports and spaces. That’s why I was proud to name HB 267 after Riley because her leadership and advocacy, which started here in Georgia, continue to inspire the fight for girls’ sports nationwide.

HB 267 is one of the strongest bills in the nation, designed to protect female athletes in Georgia by ensuring biological males cannot compete in women’s sports or access women’s spaces. HB 267 is a commonsense bill that recognizes the biological differences between male and female. Men generally have higher cardiovascular capacity, greater bone density and more muscle mass. These advantages are undeniable. Allowing biological males to compete against female athletes creates significant harm and undermines the intent and success of Title IX. Prior to Title IX, only one in 27 girls played sports. Today that number is two out of every five. The bill also goes a step further and eliminates ambiguity in Georgia’s laws by replacing ‘gender’ with ‘sex’ throughout the legal code and clearly defining what it means to be male and female, making the law clear and uncompromising. These protections align with the mandate delivered by the American people, reinforcing biological reality and implementing commonsense policies that safeguard women’s rights.

For years, the Georgia House has been at the forefront of protecting girls in sports. After the passage of House Bill 1084 in 2022, the Georgia High School Association adopted a rule requiring athletes to compete based on the sex listed on their birth certificate. The Riley Gaines Act builds on this foundation by codifying protections for female athletes, from K-12 to college, securing women’s right to compete on a level playing field at every level while preserving their safety and privacy.

President Trump has delivered on his promise to protect women’s sports by signing an executive order to defend women’s sports and establish clear definitions of male and female. Now, Georgia is stepping up to codify these protections into state law, further preserving the dignity of our women and girls.

It’s simple – men don’t belong in women’s sports or women’s spaces. The Riley Gaines Act is not just a piece of legislation; it’s also a statement that here in Georgia that we will protect the rights of our women and girls, ensure fairness in athletic competition and stand against the encroachment of policies that threaten our fundamental values.

Representative Josh Bonner represents the citizens of District 73, which includes portions of Coweta and Fayette counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and currently serves as Chairman of the Defense & Veterans Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development, Creative Arts & Entertainment, Economic Development & Tourism, Human Relations & Aging, Industry and Labor and Interstate Cooperation committees.

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