Kansas is banning transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports, from kindergarten through college.

 

The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature overrode Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s third veto in three years yesterday on the Fairness in Women's Sports Act that will apply to K-12 schools and colleges. Republican State Senator Virgil Peck says Kelly's veto went against a campaign promise.

 

Additional support was obtained in the house to override Kelly's veto. LGBT rights advocates claim laws like this are part of a national campaign to erase transgender people from society. Peck says this is about protecting girls.

 

Nineteen other states have imposed such bans, most recently Wyoming, but also Arizona, Florida, Texas and West Virginia. The Fairness in Women's Sports Act takes effect July 1st.