Bill H. 4005: Banning co-ed & inclusive sports fuels fear, hurts all + ignores real issues

Bill H. 4005 passed in the MA House on 4/9/25 – An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2025 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects, which included Amendment #81 and Further Amendment #81.1. It can be found here: https://malegislature.gov/Bills This bill passed the house of Reps. in MA yesterday, While some are calling this a way to kill the bill, it 100% is going to affect children, families, and school committees. Banning co-ed sports teams and transgender students from participating in sports that align with their gender identity is harmful and unnecessary. This would not only harm small towns, but also already vulnerable populations. There is little evidence that transgender athletes have an unfair advantage, and these exclusionary policies target a small number of youth driven more by politics than fairness. Many schools already face challenges like underfunding, poor facilities, and sexism in sports programs that impact all students. Rather than addressing real issues, these laws promote fear, discrimination, and surveillance of students who don't conform to gender norms. For many transgender students, being able to play sports provides a crucial sense of belonging and community. Ultimately, these bans spread transphobia, divide school communities, and distract from making youth sports truly inclusive, safe spaces for all students. We should be focused on providing equal opportunities and resources, not singling out and excluding certain youth from an integral part of their educational experience.