Image from Congressman Burgess Owens' tweet announcing he is sponsoring legislation banning trans female athletes from competing in high school sports. Photo credit: Burgess Owens Twitter
Burgess Owens, the Republican Congressman from Utah’s 4th District, has signed on as a co-sponsor of HR 426, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2021.
The bill would prohibit any school receiving federal funds from allowing those designated male at birth to participate in sports designated for women and girls.
In a video posted on Twitter, Congressman Burgess Owens called it a matter of basic fairness.
“Good old common sense,” he said of the bill. “I think our country understands those particular values are very important for us to maintain. It’s truly just a matter of respect for womanhood.”
No other members of the House from Utah have signed on as co-sponsors, but Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee is the primary sponsor of an identical bill in the US Senate.
The Utah legislature passed a bill in the final hours of its general session last week that includes a blanket prohibition on transgender athletes participating in women’s and girls’ sports. Governor Spencer Cox has promised to veto the bill.