AZ Gov. Ducey Signs Bill Banning Trans Athletes From Girls Teams

PHOENIX — On the same day Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law legislation severely restricting access to abortions, the governor signed legislation that bans children from undergoing gender reassignment surgery and prohibits transgender athletes from playing on girls sports teams.

Ducey said he signed the separate bills to protect participation and fairness for female athletes, and to ensure that only adults can undergo irreversible gender reassignment surgery.

Doctors can provide medical treatment for various sex development disorders and infection or disease caused by gender transition procedures, Ducey's office said.

"This legislation is common-sense and narrowly-targeted to address these two specific issues ⁠— while ensuring that transgender individuals continue to receive the same dignity, respect and kindness as every individual in our society,” Ducey said in a letter explaining his support for the legislation.

Senate Bill 1138, sponsored by Sen. Warren Petersen, delays irreversible gender reassignment surgery until age 18. The legislation does not prevent children from taking puberty-blocking hormones or other hormone therapies, Ducey's office said. It also will not require children to stop taking any prescriptions.

Senate Bill 1165, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Barto, requires all Arizona public schools, and any private schools that compete against them, to expressly designate their sports teams based on the biological sex of participating students. Republicans have said blocking transgender athletes from girls sports teams would protect the integrity of women's sports, claiming that trans athletes would have an advantage.

Many point to the transgender collegiate swimmer Lia Thomas, who recently won an individual title at the NCAA Women's Division I Swimming and Diving Championship.

“S.B. 1165 creates a statewide policy to ensure that biologically female athletes at Arizona public schools, colleges, and universities have a level playing field to compete,” Ducey said in his letter. “Every young Arizona athlete should have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities that give them a sense of belonging and allow them to grow and thrive.”

There are few trans athletes in Arizona schools. Since 2017, about 16 trans athletes have received waivers to play on teams that align with their gender identities out of about 170,000 high school athletes in the state, according to the Arizona Interscholastic Association.