Dear Governor Little,

On behalf of nearly 700 members who live across the country and abroad, including in Idaho, we urge you to sign HB 500, to protect fairness in women’s and girls’ sports.

While women and girls thrive academically, we still live with the reality that females differ biologically from males,in ways that matter to fairness in sports. And while those biological differences accelerate at puberty, they begin to appear much earlier. As early as age 5 boys outcompete girls in track competitions across the globe.

Unfortunately, sex discrimination against women and girls in sports occurs for social reasons. Things are getting better, but serious disparities persist in virtually all U.S. high schools, with many fewer team slots open to girls than to boys. These disparities are significantly worse for Black and Latino girls, and they carry over into college athletics. Sex disparities diminish girls’ ability to access higher education through the help of athletic scholarships. Thus, even if girls and boys lose an equal number of sports slots the loss has a disproportionate effect on girls. Every single opportunity available to women and girls must therefore be zealously protected.

We are aware that some groups have demandedexceptions for individuals who claim to have a “gender identity.” They express their arguments in the language of science and law, but their goal of ending sex-based legal protections is unmistakably political. These groups openlyseek to normalize the use of harmful medical interventions on vulnerable children, such as the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones that have serious long-term health consequences including in some cases permanent sterility.

We oppose these unreasonable demands in the strongest possible terms. No young boy should be encouraged by irresponsible adults to endanger his health and future fertility in order to qualify for a girls’ athletic competition.

Please sign HB 500 because fairness in women’s and girls’ sports is worth protecting!

Sincerely, 

/s/Jennifer C. Chavez​​
Women’s Liberation Front
Board of Directors