UPDATE:
The UIL committee rejected the proposal to allow boys on girls’ volleyball teams, but will consider adding a boys volleyball league.
A proposal from Texas’ University Scholastic League would allow male students to compete on girls’ volleyball teams.
UIL’s Standing Committee on Athletics will consider the proposal on Tuesday.
However, Texas state law prohibits biological males in public schools from competing in girls’ athletic events.
During the 87th legislative session, lawmakers approved House Bill 25 by State Rep. Valorie Swanson (R–Spring), which banned public school students from competing in an interscholastic athletic competition “designated for the biological sex opposite to the student’s biological sex.”
“The bill I’m bringing before you today protects girls’ safety and their right to equal access to athletic opportunities,” said Swanson, introducing the bill. “This is a right guaranteed to our girls under Title IX, which Congress passed 50 years ago in a major victory for women. We fought for this right, and now we have to defend it.”
Although HB 25 excluded college women’s athletics, lawmakers during the 88th legislative session passed legislation expanding the measure’s reach.
State Sen. Mayes Middleton’s (R–Galveston) Senate Bill 15 extended the previous prohibition to include public colleges and universities.
Swanson—SB 15’s House sponsor—said the legislation will “codify the necessary protections for our college female athletes” and explained how the physical differences between men and women enable men to run faster, jump higher, and hit harder than women.
Although the UIL committee will consider the proposal allowing boys on girls’ volleyball teams, the move may violate state law if approved.
However, the organization will also discuss a proposal to make boys’ volleyball a UIL-sanctioned event, which would allow male students to participate in volleyball without disadvantaging female students.
On social media, citizens raised concerns that allowing boys to compete against girls in athletic events could result in unfair outcomes for female students.
“As we have seen from the hours of testimony at the Texas State Capitol in the 88th legislative session to Save Womens’ Sports (SB15), biological differences between males and females make it impossible for females to get a fair chance to compete and win, and it can be UNSAFE for biological males to compete against females,” one citizen said.
The University of Texas created the UIL, which operates under the college’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement.
Last month the division posted an article encouraging students to attend LGBT “pride month” events and become an ally to radical gender ideology by taking a course entitled “Affirming LGBTQIA+ People: Interpersonal Allyship.” One Austin-based event, featured in the article, claimed to feature “family-friendly” drag performances from local performers.
The University of Texas at Austin is a public university overseen by the University of Texas System’s Board of Regents. Led by Chairman Kevin Eltife, all board members were appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott and confirmed by the Texas Senate.
The UIL has yet to respond to a request for comment.
