Protect MO Students! NO ON HB624

I am writing to express my strong opposition to House Bill 624, which seeks to prohibit student-athletes from competing in sports teams that align with their gender identity. This bill is discriminatory, unnecessary, and harmful to students across Missouri. First, HB 624 unfairly targets transgender and nonbinary students, preventing them from fully participating in school athletics. Every student should have the opportunity to play sports, develop teamwork skills, and benefit from the physical and mental health advantages that athletics provide. Excluding certain students based on rigid definitions of sex creates an environment of exclusion rather than fairness. Additionally, this bill imposes financial and legal risks on Missouri schools. Schools that allow transgender students to participate according to their gender identity could lose critical state funding. This threatens the financial stability of already underfunded schools and places educators in an impossible position. Furthermore, similar laws in other states have resulted in costly legal battles, wasting taxpayer dollars that could be better spent on education. The argument that this bill is necessary to protect female athletes is misleading. There is no widespread issue of transgender athletes dominating sports or displacing cisgender female athletes in Missouri. Instead of focusing on exclusionary policies, lawmakers should address real barriers to female participation in sports, such as inadequate funding, lack of media coverage, and unequal access to resources. HB 624 does nothing to strengthen youth athletics but instead sends a damaging message that some students are less deserving of participation than others. I urge you to oppose this harmful legislation and work toward policies that promote fairness, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all students.