Powell Files the 'Save Women's Sports Act' for 135th General Assembly

COLUMBUS – State Representative Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) filed the “Save Women’s Sports Act” legislation for the 135th General Assembly, yesterday. The bill ensures that biological males cannot compete in female-only sports at OHSAA schools.

“Across our country, female athletes are currently losing championships, scholarship opportunities, medals, education and training opportunities, and more to discriminatory policies that allow biological males to compete in girls’ sports,” Powell said.

Powell notes that female athletes are currently losing scholarships due to discriminatory policies that allow biological males to compete in girls’ sports. For example, in Connecticut, nine different girls used to hold the 15 women’s state championship titles. In 2020, those 15 titles were all held by two different biological males. 

Powell also emphasizes that biological males possess many physiological advantages over females, including greater lung capacity, larger hearts, higher red blood cell counts, stronger tendons and ligaments, greater muscle strength, and increased bone density. 

“I am passionate about this issue because we cannot allow girls’ dreams of being a gold medal athlete to be crushed by biological males stealing their opportunities,” Powell added. “The Save Women’s Sports Act is a fairness issue for women. This bill ensures that every little girl who works hard to make it on a podium is not robbed of her chance by a biological male competing against her in a biological female sport. We want every little girl to achieve her athletic dream here in the state of Ohio.”

The legislation passed twice in the House during the previous General Assembly. The current filing awaits its official introduction.