Nassau County legislature approves law to reinstate transgender sports ban

The Nassau County legislature has approved a law banning transgender athletes from participating in women and girls’ sports at county-owned athletic facilities. County Executive Bruce Blakeman is set to sign the legislation into law, with the Republican majority supporting the measure. The ban passed along party lines, with Democrats opposing it. The decision follows a ruling by a state Supreme Court judge that Blakeman did not have the authority to impose such a prohibition without the legislature’s approval. The New York Civil Liberties Union has criticized the ban as “hateful and blatantly illegal,” while State Attorney General James has labeled it discriminatory and transphobic. Supporters of the ban argue that biological men who identify as transgender have unfair physical advantages when competing against women. Caitlyn Jenner, a famous transgender individual and former athlete, supports the ban, citing the differences in DNA and male development. The law aims to ensure fair competition in women’s sports by requiring athletes to compete based on their biological sex at birth.