Minnesota Lawmaker Equates Women’s Sports Bill to "State-Sanctioned Bullying and Genocide"
A heated debate unfolded in the Minnesota State Capitol as lawmakers clashed over House File 12 (HF12), a bill designed to limit women’s sports participation to biological women. The proposed legislation ignited passionate opposition, most notably from Democratic State Representative Liish Kozlowski, who identifies as non-binary. Kozlowski characterized the bill as "another version of state-sanctioned bullying and genocide," a statement delivered on the House floor that underscored the deeply divisive nature of the issue.
Kozlowski, who also claims to be the only two-spirit representative in Minnesota and the U.S., argued that HF12 was not about fairness in sports, but rather an attempt to erase transgender girls, non-binary individuals, and two-spirit people from public life. "Problematic bills like HF12, a bill to bully trans and non-binary kids… It’s not about fairness in sports, it’s about erasing trans girls, non-binary, and two-spirit kids and people from public life," Kozlowski stated. They further asserted that efforts to exclude transgender individuals from sports would not change their identities, saying, "I can assure you that our children will not stop being transgender just because you try to remove us from sports."
The bill ultimately failed to pass, falling one vote short of the required 68 votes. The vote breakdown of 67-66 reflected the deep partisan divide surrounding the issue.
Kozlowski also criticized the broader political context surrounding HF12, framing it as part of a larger agenda of division and fear-mongering. "As politicians and unelected billionaires from the White House to here in the Minnesota House, we’re seeing this doubling down of efforts in an agenda of division of stoking fear, of stoking harm on our communities," Kozlowski said, highlighting the perceived influence of national political trends on state-level policies. The representative also called the proposal, formally titled the "Preserving Girls’ Sports Act," a bill to bully trans girls and non-binary kids.
Republican Representative Peggy Scott, the sponsor of HF12, defended the bill as a measure to protect the safety and fairness of women’s sports. The bill defines "female" as "biologically determined by genetics and defined with respect to an individual’s reproductive system." Scott argued that allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports could jeopardize opportunities for biological females and potentially lead to injuries. "We cannot allow our girls to be vulnerable to losing their spot on the team, being on the podium, or to injury by a male teammate or male competitor," Scott said. "That is not safe and that is not fair to our girls."
The debate in Minnesota is part of a larger national conversation about transgender athletes’ participation in sports. Former President Donald Trump signed the "No Men in Women’s Sports" executive order, fulfilling a campaign promise to keep biological men out of women’s sports. This executive order has spurred similar legislative efforts in other states.
Following Trump’s executive order, the Minnesota State High School League reportedly announced that they are defying federal law by allowing transgender athletes to continue playing in women’s sports.
The Minnesota Attorney General’s office maintains that the Minnesota State High School League’s decision to allow transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports does not violate the state’s constitution. According to the office, banning transgender athletes from women’s sports would violate the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA).
The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office stated that "based on the plain language of the statute, educational institutions and the Minnesota State High School League would violate the MHRA by prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in extracurricular activities consistent with their gender identity." Furthermore, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a warning to California, Maine and Minnesota to comply with the federal anti-discrimination laws that require them to keep boys out of women’s sports. States defying federal law could face legal action.
The clash in Minnesota highlights the complex legal and ethical considerations surrounding transgender athletes’ participation in sports. While proponents of bills like HF12 argue for protecting the integrity and safety of women’s sports, opponents contend that such measures discriminate against transgender individuals and violate their rights. The debate is likely to continue in Minnesota and across the country as lawmakers grapple with balancing competing interests and values.
