Wyoming lawmakers advanced three bills on Friday that would restrict the use of single-sex spaces and sports team eligibility based on sex assigned at birth, Wyo File reports.
The measures have sparked a heated debate between proponents who emphasize the protection of women-only spaces and opponents who argue the bills could harm transgender individuals.
Rep. Martha Lawley, a Republican from Worland, introduced two of the bills following constituent concerns about the participation of transgender individuals in female sports and bathroom use.
“I would often hear, ‘You must get boys out of girl’s sports and boys out of the girls restrooms,’” Lawley shared.
She emphasized that her intention was not to disadvantage any group, but rather to safeguard women-only spaces.
Lawley’s proposed bills include House Bill 60, which applies existing middle and high school athletic eligibility rules to students in kindergarten through college, prohibiting transgender girls from participating in sports or teams designated for female athletes. House Bill 72, known as the “Protecting Women’s Privacy in Public Spaces Act,” restricts access to single-sex restrooms and changing rooms, requiring individuals to use facilities corresponding to their sex assigned at birth.
A third bill, Senate File 62, was sponsored by Sen. Dan Laursen of Powell. It mandates that public schools designate restrooms and changing rooms as either male or female, with students required to use facilities based on their sex assigned at birth. The bill also requires accommodations, such as single-occupancy restrooms, for individuals who do not wish to use a multi-occupancy facility.
All three bills received significant public attention, with both athletes and advocacy groups offering testimony. Supporters argue that the bills are necessary to protect female athletes and provide clarity for school districts on contentious issues related to bathroom and locker room use. Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder voiced support for the bills, stating that they honor the achievements and rights of transgender students but should not apply to sports or bathrooms.
Opponents, however, raised concerns about the potential harm these measures could cause to transgender individuals, particularly in terms of mental and physical health. Some questioned the enforceability of the rules and warned that the bills could lead to legal challenges, as well as unintended consequences for vulnerable communities. Elliott Hinkle, a transgender person from Casper, argued that the bills would create potential liability for schools and costly litigation.
The bills also raised questions about the balance between local control and state mandates. Park County School District 1 Superintendent Jay Curtis, who supported Senate File 62, emphasized the need for clear guidance for school districts on bathroom use. However, he and other critics expressed concern over the potential penalty of stripping a school district’s accreditation for noncompliance, a provision later amended from the bill.
The bills advanced through the House and Senate committees, with House Bill 60 and House Bill 72 moving forward in the House Education Committee, and Senate File 62 passing in the Senate Education Committee. All three bills are now headed to their respective chamber floors for further consideration.
