Local news
The republican legislator who presented the prohibition declared that a stipulation on an analysis of the State was supposed to “bury” its amendment.

A flag of pride flies near the Massachusetts State House. Steven Senne / AP
The Massachusetts House of Representatives approved this week the language that would prohibit public schools from allowing students-athletes to play in opposite sex teams. However, the prohibition will not come into force until the State’s primary and secondary education department examines the policy and publishes a report on its conclusions.
The language makes no mention of transgender students, but nevertheless addresses an ongoing national debate on the way in which transgender students should participate in sports. In the end, the procedure has brought angry both the LGBTQ defenders and the republican legislator who introduced the proposed ban for the first time.
The provision was presented by the representative of the State John Gaskey, who tabled an amendment to an expenditure bill of $ 1.3 billion that the Chamber adopted on Wednesday.
“No public school will allow a student male athlete to participate in a sports team for girls and a public school will not allow a female athlete to participate in a sports team for boys”, the amendment reading.
Schools that do not comply should lose all matches “where an opposite sex athlete has participated”.
But shortly after, the representative of the Ken Gordon State has deposited a Additional Americula stipulating that a DESE review would be necessary. This review would include the analysis of “behavioral and physical impacts on health”, “changes in well-being” of students and the way other states approach the problem.
“The subject of the amendment is complex, involving questions of federal law and state. This is a question of concern for the residents of the Commonwealth who expressed their concern on both sides of the issue,” said Gordon, a Democrat from Bedford.
Gaskey, a first -year -old carver legislator, said on social networks thereafter that he “entered loose tactics”. He called on the supporters to contact the officials of the DESE and included the departmental contact details in a Facebook publication.
Gordon’s movement was a way to “share this and make sure no one receives this on the disc”, ” Gaskey said.
“Each athlete student will play in the team he was born to play. … This is what this amendment is used for. We don’t need a study. The polls support him.
In February, President Donald Trump signed a executive decree Unless women and transgender girls to participate in female sports. The federal government then accused Maine officials of having violated anti -discrimination laws by allowing transgender athletes to participate in the sports of girls. The state risks losing federal funding on the issue. Attorney General of Maine Aaron Frey continued the Trump administration To try to stop the frost, arguing that it illegally retains crucial funding.
In the Massachusetts, the probability that Gaskey’s ban be really adopted seems to be thin. Gov. Maura HealeyWho has marked history when she became the first openly lesbian governor of the country, is an arrogance of LGBTQ rights. When the representative Seth Moulton expressed his concerns concerning the transgender athletes following the recent electoral victory of Trump, Healey accused him of “do politics with people. “More recently, Healey said the Republicans are Using the problem to distract The fact that Trump does not make his campaign promises follow.
However, the defenders fear that the progress of an amendment like this gives even more attacks against transgender people.
“Even, here in the Massachusetts, we are not free from attacks and disinformation campaigns. Young transgender people are not the dangerous. The dangerous are the hateful people who would arms their existence”, ” Masksaid an eminent LGBTQ advocacy group, on social networks.
Register for the Teday newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered directly to your reception box every morning.