States that have acted to protect biological females from competing against transgender women are now in the crosshairs of left-wing activists and President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice.
“The Department of Justice intends to fully enforce our civil rights statutes to protect transgender individuals,” a Justice Department spokesperson told Fox News.
The attorney generals in states who have enacted transgender athlete bans are reacting swiftly.
“Here is my message to President Biden if he decides to sue the State of Arkansas to stop us from implementing the GIRLS Act which protects the opportunities of our young girls: Bring it on, Biden!” Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said in a statement to Fox News. “I will wholeheartedly defend and win to ensure girls in Arkansas have a fair playing field to succeed.”
“Mississippi passed a law this year based on the basic premise that girls, and only girls, should play in girls’ sports,” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said in a statement to Fox News. “The ink wasn’t even dry from Governor Reeves’ signature before Sports Illustrated was reporting that the ACLU was preparing to sue and the NCAA threatened to take away championship competitions from our State.
“When the Fairness Act becomes law on July 1, I will be ready to defend this law and to defend the right of Mississippi’s girls to compete fairly,” Fitch said.
In his earliest hours in office, Biden signed an executive order to expand the federal Title IX statute that protects women from discrimination based on their sex to include “gender identity.”
Fox News’ report included:
Mississippi Republicans have said the law, which will affect state schools and universities, is a necessary response to Biden’s executive order calling on schools across the country to allow students to participate in sports under their chosen gender identity.
The legislation, known as the Mississippi Fairness Act, is just one of two dozen other bills popping up around the country as some conservatives fear allowing biological male athletes to participate in female sports could strip biological females of opportunities to fairly compete.
[Arkansas] Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act in March after the measure passed through the state House with overwhelming support.
“This law simply says that female athletes should not have to compete in a sport against a student of the male sex when the sport is designed for women’s competition,” Hutchinson said in a statement. “This will help promote and maintain fairness in women’s sporting events.”
Follow Penny Starr on Twitter or send news tips to pstarr@breitbart.com