As a woman who has spent years watching, competing in, and supporting female athletics, I know firsthand how much dedication, discipline, and sacrifice it takes to succeed. Women have fought tirelessly for a fair shot in sports, breaking barriers, shattering records, and proving that we belong on the field, the court, and the track. But now, we’re facing a new challenge—one that threatens the integrity of women’s sports and everything female athletes have worked so hard to achieve.
This week, the U.S. Senate failed to pass the Women’s Sports Protection Act, a bill that would have ensured that only biological females compete in girls’ and women’s sports. The bill was blocked after 45 Democratic senators voted against it, despite overwhelming concerns about fairness, safety, and the future of female competition.
Democrats Who Voted “No”
The debate over this issue isn’t just political—it’s deeply personal. It’s about fairness. It’s about ensuring that young girls who dream of being Olympic champions or earning college scholarships aren’t robbed of those opportunities by biological differences that cannot be ignored.
The Science Is Clear: Men Have an Advantage in Sports
Some people argue that gender identity should determine eligibility in sports. But as a woman, I know that our bodies are not the same as men’s—and science backs that up.
- Strength & Power: On average, males have 40-50% more upper-body strength and 20-30% more lower-body strength than females, thanks to testosterone-driven muscle development.
- Speed & Endurance: Elite male runners have a 10-12% higher oxygen-carrying capacity (VO2 max) compared to females, allowing them to perform at higher levels for longer periods.
- Bone Density & Injury Risk: Men’s bones are denser and larger, reducing the risk of fractures and making them more resilient in high-impact sports.
- Explosiveness & Reaction Time: Male athletes have a higher percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers, making them naturally quicker, more explosive, and more reactive in competitive sports.
We see these differences play out in real-world competition. Thousands of high school boys have run faster 100-meter times than the women’s world record. In endurance sports, male athletes consistently outperform female athletes by margins that cannot be erased by training or effort alone.
Why Did 45 Democratic Senators Vote Against Protecting Women’s Sports?
Despite these undeniable biological realities, Democratic senators overwhelmingly opposed the bill, calling it discriminatory and claiming it unfairly targets transgender athletes. Their argument? That fairness should take a backseat to inclusivity. That concerns about biological advantages are overblown. That it’s more important to affirm gender identity than to protect the opportunities of women who have trained their entire lives to compete on an even playing field.
Many of these same senators have championed Title IX, the landmark legislation that created opportunities for women’s sports in the first place. And yet, now they stand against the very protections that were designed to give women and girls a fair chance.
Female Athletes Are Losing Opportunities—And Speaking Out
For the women and girls competing today, this isn’t just a political debate. It’s real life.
- Connecticut Track & Field: Two biological males competing in Connecticut’s high school girls’ division won 15 championships that had previously belonged to female athletes—depriving girls of scholarships and records.
- NCAA Swimmer Riley Gaines: Forced to compete against a transgender athlete, Gaines tied for fifth place in a championship race but was told the trophy would go to her opponent for “photo purposes.”
- Tennis Legend Martina Navratilova: A lifelong LGBTQ+ advocate, even she has spoken out against allowing biological males in women’s sports, saying it “erases women” and is “blatantly unfair.”
The heartbreaking reality is that women are being pushed out of their own sports—forced to accept second place, sidelined in their own locker rooms, and told their concerns don’t matter. But they do.
This Is About More Than Just Sports
This isn’t just about who wins a race or who takes home a trophy. It’s about the future of women’s rights in sports. It’s about whether we will continue to fight for fairness, or whether we will allow political ideology to erase decades of hard-won progress.
The vote in the Senate is just one battle in a much larger war. Across the country, states are passing their own laws to protect female athletes, while lawsuits and protests continue to grow. And we, as women, must decide—will we stand up for fairness, or will we let others decide what our sports should look like?
