Student Eligibility in Interscholastic Sports (HB 1041)

This bill would prohibit transgender women from participating in women’s sports at public and private colleges – expanding Indiana’s current K-12 ban. In addition, the bill opens up Indiana colleges to lawsuits by people who suspect that a transgender woman is participating in violation of the ban.

Already discriminatory, this bill was made unnecessary by recent actions at the federal level and a change in national policy at the NCAA. Passage of the bill will not change a single thing for Indiana college athletes. Bills like HB 1041 and policies like the NCAA’s actually result in harassment of women athletes who look like they don’t belong.

Given that this bill is unnecessary, the only logical motivation for is consideration is to send a message to Transgender Hoosiers – you don’t belong here. The ACLU of Indiana opposes this bill because it is terrible public policy and because we know the contributions that transgender Hoosiers make every day in our state. They deserve the opportunity to fully live their lives, including as competitive athletes.