Legislators and members of the public packed into a hearing room in the Minnesota State Capitol on Wednesday afternoon to discuss proposed legislation that would ban males from participating in female sporting events.
Authored by Rep. Peggy Scott, R-Andover, HF 12 bans males from participating in female sports and athletic programs that are exclusive to females. The ban applies to all secondary and elementary school athletic programs in Minnesota. Additionally, the bill requires the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) to adopt polices consistent with the ban.
At the beginning of the hearing, Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, the chair of the committee, acknowledged the strong opinions and feelings on both sides. Bennett encouraged legislators to treat each other with respect and asked the public to behave in an orderly manner during discussion of HF 12.
“We cannot allow our girls to be vulnerable to losing their spot on the team that they’ve worked hard for, or to injury by a male teammate or competitor to protect the feelings of a male,” said Scott while introducing her bill at the start of the House Education Policy Committee meeting.
After Scott introduced her bill, testifiers were given the opportunity to express their thoughts on the bill. Athletic directors, doctors, female athletes, and mothers spoke in favor of HF 12.
The supporters noted that a man cannot become a woman, the inclusion of males in female-only sports places the safety of women and girls at risk, and that “trans girls” are not biological girls. Furthermore, supporters said that every male who is placed on a female team deprives a girl of the opportunity to participate in sports.
A high school track and field athlete urges Minnesota lawmakers to protect girls' sports: 'It's an honor for girls to make new records in sports but it's deceitful and dishonest for boys to steal accomplishments from girls.' pic.twitter.com/UCXaxztGQM
— Anthony Gockowski (@AntGockowski) February 20, 2025
Repeatedly, legislators were told that biological males are naturally stronger, and they present many safety and privacy concerns if those males participate in female-only sports.
One testifier said that many student athletes are afraid to speak out against the inclusion of males in female sports because they fear retaliation. Another told the story of her daughter whose arm was broken after being shoved to the ground by a boy during a soccer game.
A 9th-grade swimming and track athlete to Minnesota lawmakers on a bill to protect girls' sports: 'I would be absolutely devastated to see my dream awarded to someone who will always have an advantage over me.' pic.twitter.com/3lkn3i0vgY
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) February 20, 2025
Conversely, parents, transgender athletes, left-wing organizations, and a doctor who specializes in “gender medicine” testified against HF 12.
Among their arguments, opponents of HF 12 said the bill would deprive transgender athletes of the positive benefits of participation in sports, give the public the ability to scrutinize and report students who are suspected of being transgender, and would result in discrimination against transgender people.
Following testimony, DFL legislators on the committee expressed concerns that the bill is ambiguous, would allow anyone to initiate an investigation into a student’s biological sex, would not protect private medical data, could lead to bullying, conflicts with Minnesota law that bans discrimination based on gender identity, and that current policies on this matter handle the situation fine.
DFL Minnesota Rep. Alex Falconer describes a bill to protect girls' sports as "reprehensible" and "dangerous." pic.twitter.com/T9OqkesYXx
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) February 20, 2025
Scott told the committee that a student athlete’s age and residency can already be challenged, and students are allowed to continue playing while an investigation into those matters occurs. The Republican legislator said determinations about biological sex would be handled the same way and athletic programs would set their own policies to adhere to HF 12.
Further, Scott explained that the chapter of law her bill amends already protects sports for women based on sex, but sex is not defined in state law. As such, Scott’s bill would establish that female sports are reserved for biological females.
Addressing DFL concerns about data privacy and anti-discrimination law, Scott said her bill neither references nor has anything to do with those topics.
Following the extended discussion, the committee voted 7-6 to advance HF 12 and place it on the General Register; all Republicans voted to advance the bill, all voting Democrats on the committee opposed this measure.
Since the bill was sent to the General Register of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Republicans can schedule HF 12 for a full vote on the House floor at any time.
The bill comes following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that seeks to prevent biological males from participating in female sports. The MSHSL said Trump’s executive order “appears to conflict with current State law” and that it is seeking “clarification and direction from the state.”
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
