GOP governors of Utah and Indiana veto transgender school sports bans

Trans athlete supporter
(Image credit: Stephen Zenner/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images)

On the same day Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) proclaimed that transgender swimmer Lia Thomas did not win an NCAA women's swim event in Atlanta last week, at least not as far as Florida was concerned, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) vetoed a ban on transgender students playing girls sports, telling Utah legislators that while "I struggle to understand so much of it and the science is conflicting," he will "always try to err on the side of kindness, mercy, and compassion."

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) on Monday vetoed a bill that would have banned transgender girls and women from participating in girls sporting events, saying the controversial GOP bill "falls short" of creating a consistent statewide policy for "fairness in K-12 sports." Holcomb said he supports "the effort overall" to ensure only students born with female sex organs can play girls sports, but "I find no evidence" that "there is an existing problem in K-12 sports in Indiana that requires further state government intervention."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.