This past fall, Alaska’s Board of Education adopted new regulations that prohibit gender-confused biological males from competing in girls’ high school sports. Now, state lawmakers are looking to codify these protections in Alaska Statute, while expanding the scope to include all grade levels, not just high school.

Sponsored by Republican Representatives Jamia Allard (Eagle River) and Tom McKay (Anchorage), House Bill 183 had an initial public hearing on March 15.

The bill notes that “designation of separate sex-specific athletic teams or sports is necessary to maintain fairness in athletic opportunities for women,” because there are “significant biological and physiological differences between males and females, including greater strength, speed, and endurance capabilities among males on average.” These “provide a competitive advantage to male athletes in sports; and having separate sex-specific teams furthers efforts to promote sex equality,” the bill adds.

In order to “preserve an even playing field in school athletic programs, to maintain opportunities for female athletes to demonstrate their strength, skills, and athletic abilities, and to provide female athletes with opportunities to obtain recognition and accolades, college scholarships, and the numerous other long-term benefits that result” the bill states that athletic competitions designated for girls must only allow biologically female competitors.

An athlete’s sex would be determined by what their birth certificate, not how they might personally identify.

The bill also offers legal protection for students who are denied athletic opportunities or suffer direct or indirect harm resulting from a school districts failure to follow the proposed law.

Predictably, leftist groups such as Planned Parenthood are already organizing opposition to the bill. The group’s Alaska chapter is encouraging activists to speak out against the proposed protections for girls’ sports, claiming they are “discriminatory” against males who identify as female and who want to compete as girls.

According to a recent action alert by Alaska Planned Parenthood Field Manager KC Casort, the proposed legislation is offensive because it only recognizes two sexes – male and female – and thereby “invalidates people’s gender identity.”

She also falsely claims that the bill would result in the “complete exclusion from sports” for students who believe they are transgender. This is not the case, as any student, regardless of how they subjectively identify, would still be able to compete in accordance with their biological sex.

Despite the fact that the bill makes no mention of race, Planned Parenthood is attempting to play the race card by asserting that HB 183 “targets students of color – who are already routinely policed, shamed, and dehumanized in school settings – and will face outsized consequences, as administrators and other athletes perpetuate racist and sexist stereotypes about femininity and gender presentation.”

TAKING ACTION

— The public hearing for HB 183 occurs at 8 a.m. on March 15 in the House Education Committee. Those who wish to testify should call 5-10 minutes before the start of the hearing. Subsequent callers will be put into a queue to testify later in the meeting, as time permits. Numbers to call in are as follows: Anchorage: (907) 563-9085, Juneau: (907) 586-9085, All other locations: (844) 586-9085. When calling, ask to be directed to the House Education Committee to testify on HB 183. Each person will have three minutes to speak.

— Click here to read the bill.

— To email to all members of the House Education Committee, use this address: House.Education@akleg.gov

— Click here to call members of the House Education Committee.

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