[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 1, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2780-H2781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STANDING UP FOR THE SANCTITY OF WOMEN'S SPORTS
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Fischbach). The Chair recognizes the
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mooney) for 5 minutes.
Mr. MOONEY. Madam Speaker, on April 18, five brave young girls had
the courage to stand up for their rights in Harrison County, West
Virginia. These 13-year-old girls showed more guts and courage in their
convictions than most grownups.
These student athletes competed in the 2024 Harrison County Middle
School Championship track and field meet. These girls from Lincoln
Middle School stepped up to the circle for their turn before refusing
to throw in the shot put event. They were showing solidarity in protest
of the participation of Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 13-year-old boy.
Pepper-Jackson won the event by recording a throw of 32 feet. The
second-place competitor, who was actually a female, finished with a 29-
foot throw.
West Virginia State law bans transgenders--in other words, boys
pretending to be girls--from playing on girls' sports teams. However, a
recent Federal court ruled the law could not be lawfully applied
to Pepper-Jackson.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey quickly stepped up
and filed an amicus brief in support of the five athletes and asked the
U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on transgender student-athlete bans for
a second time on behalf of the parents who filed a complaint with the
local county board of education.
As a result of their protest and appearance at a press conference
with West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the five girls
were barred from competing in their next track meet and also subject to
punitive sprints in practice.
These strong girls should be rewarded, not punished, for standing up
for the sanctity of women's sports. Young women should not be forced to
compete against young men. No school
[[Page H2781]]
in West Virginia, nor anywhere in America, should turn a blind eye to
this woke nonsense.
Former college swimmer Riley Gaines, who has been an outspoken critic
of trans athletes participating in girls' sports, has weighed in on the
issue, writing in a post on X: ``These girls stood up for what they
believed, and their coach barred them from competing. Insane.''
I applaud Riley on for her amazing work advocating for young girls
and women in sports.
Now, more than ever, it is important to address the unfairness in our
society and the right to peacefully protest as our Constitution allows.
These constant assaults on the sanctity of women's sports threaten the
future of fair athletic competition in our country. The ramifications
of allowing men into women's sports are far greater than simply
allowing men to put on a women's uniform.
We have seen numerous examples of stronger men seriously injuring
young women and girls in contact sports. Millions of young women are
also being exposed to uncomfortable situations in which men are present
in women's locker rooms.
Only God can create men and women. It is simply wrong for any parent
to think they can or should even try to change the sex of their child.
Male athletes who can't win competing against other males who then
choose to take advantage of bad laws to steal titles from women are
truly a threat to females.
We should be less focused on offending an individual's feelings than
protecting the physical safety of our daughters who simply want to
compete against other women.
Radical trans policies are out of touch with not only the facts but
the pulse of this great country. We must stand up against this nonsense
and unlimited overreach on the fringes.
I applaud the five young women in my district for standing up for
themselves and being examples of strength as this fight for women's
sports goes on.
Madam Speaker, God bless these young ladies.
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