MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Transgender rights are back in the spotlight in Wisconsin, after the state’s Republican-controlled Senate and Assembly passed a series of bills.
The proposed legislation would prohibit transgender youth from obtaining gender-affirming surgery. It also would limit their participation on sports teams.
The Republican-sponsored bill that would ban gender-affirming surgery for minors in the state won final approval in the GOP-controlled Legislature on Tuesday.
“The Marquette Law School poll back on May 18, said 71% of people in Wisconsin believe these types of surgeries shouldn’t be allowed,” said Rep. Ron Tusler, R-District 3.
Republicans say it will provide “common sense” protections against making life-altering decisions while underage. Democrats say the bill is an attack on parental rights and basic access to healthcare.
“We continue to see a right-wing attack on parental rights, trans kids and the LGBTQ community,” said Rep. Kristina Shelton, D-District 90.
The Wisconsin Assembly last week also passed three bills limiting transgender youth participation on sports teams.
“There’s a difference in these sports, in the ability people have in sports,” said Tusler.
The Senate has yet to schedule those for final votes.
“We know that athletic programs are underfunded, understaffed, addressing facility issues, those are things that actually support sports and girls sports, not what we saw last week on the Assembly floor,” said Shelton.
The bills’ chief Assembly sponsor, Rep. Barbara Dittrich, R-District 38, told an Assembly committee last week she knows of only six transgender athletes in the state.
The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association requires transgender athletes to undergo hormone therapy before they can play on the teams of their choice.
“That policy is working,” said Shelton. “There is still not a single piece of evidence that has been presented to any of us as lawmakers that tells us that trans athletes are an issue, that they are encroaching on the rights of girls and women’s sports.”
The WIAA’s policy is modeled after NCAA requirements for transgender athletes.
“What we’re doing is, is we’re basically devaluing women’s sports,” said Tusler. “We’re making it something any man can enter into if he changes his name and wants to identify in a different way someday.”
In a tweet posted to X last week, Gov. Tony Evers called the bills “scary and downright dangerous.” He went on to say that not one of these bills will become law in the state while he’s Governor.
