On Thursday, Oct. 12th, the Wisconsin Assembly passed three unnecessarily controversial bills designed to protect children from the transgender agenda.
The first two bills focused on girls’ and women’s sports. AB-377 requires transgender athletes to compete on the team that corresponds to their assigned sex at birth for K12 sports. AB-378 did the same thing for the UW and tech colleges. The third bill, AB-465, bans sex change operations and procedures for minors. All three bills passed on partisan 63-35 votes.
Democrats fiercely opposed the bills and the floor session proved to be an insightful showcase of their arguments. Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) stole the show, making several unbelievable comments about gender issues. His central message was that girls should have no trouble competing against biological boys if they try harder. He cited his own experience as a father and coach to back up his outlandish claims.
Considine says the only differences between girls’ and boys’ athletic performance are due to money and training. pic.twitter.com/Y0bQES7Kfm
— MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) October 12, 2023
Considine also had harsh words for anyone worried about girls missing out on opportunities because of biological boys competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) says if parents are worried about their daughters missing out on scholarships or making a team in college because there are biological boys on their team – then they’re just selfish. pic.twitter.com/OLoKQTPngB
— MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) October 12, 2023
Considine did not limit his arguments to physiological factors between boys and girls. He, like other Democrats, wanted to turn the issue into a civil rights debate.
“Separate but equal” – Wisconsin Democrats compare biological boys being banned from girls’ sports to racial segregation in the old South. pic.twitter.com/W6Ux3GfZNt
— MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) October 12, 2023
On the other side of the aisle, Republicans did not just sit silent.
Rep. Jon Plumer (R-Lodi) shared his perspective as a father of four girls when arguing against boys playing on girls’ sports teams.
“As the father of 4 daughters, I cannot sit back and watch as females in high school and college sports are being forced to compete against biological males. It is not fair to them, creates physically dangerous situations, and is a direct attack on their rights,” Plumer stated.
Republicans confronted Democrats’ arguments for minors getting sex change operations with reality and science.
Wisconsin is lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to accepting the science that gender transition procedures on minors are dangerous and wrong, according to @SpeakerVos #WIright pic.twitter.com/d7xdMs6Nbm
— MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) October 12, 2023
Speaking against sex change operations for minors, Rep. Scott Allen (R-Waukesha) said “It is incredibly important that minors be given the time they need to develop and make the right choice for them when they have the maturity to fully comprehend the risks and long-term consequences of their choices.”
Rep. Rick Gundrum (R-Slinger) added “we are talking about life-altering operations that cannot be reversed.”
Chuck Wichgers (R-Muskego) pointed out that the suicide rate for individuals who receive sex change operations is 20 times higher than the general population.
“If we are fighting for the safety and health of our kids, why would the Legislature not enact a law that bans a “therapy” that is 19 times more likely to cause suicide?” Wichgers said. “I voted for this bill because we want public policy in Wisconsin that safeguards the mental and physical health of our kids – not treats them as guinea pigs.”
The bills now head to the Senate. If they make it to Gov. Evers, he says he will veto them.