Republican candidate Gina Arena is launching a campaign to prevent biological males who identify as transgender from competing against females in athletics. Arena argues that the proposed “Equal Rights” amendment on the November ballot in New York will allow trans athletes to compete against females. She is putting up lawn signs throughout the district as part of her campaign titled “Save Girls and Women Sports.”
Arena, a mother of six girls, is running as a Republican candidate for state senate in the 40th District in the lower Hudson Valley. She is facing off against Democratic incumbent Sen. Peter Harckham in a rematch of their close contest two years ago, in which Arena garnered 47% of the vote.
According to a recent survey, 66% of New Yorkers want girls sports left alone. However, Arena argues that radical progressives, like Harckham, are pushing for transgender participation in female sports against the wishes of the majority. Harckham voted in the Senate to put the proposed amendment, known as Proposition 1, on the ballot.
The proposed amendment asks voters whether they support adding language to the constitution to protect people from discrimination based on various factors, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. A “YES” vote would include these protections in the New York state Constitution, while a “NO” vote would leave them out.
While the attention has mostly been on the language protecting abortion rights, a Republican strategist points out that many voters are unaware that the proposed amendment will enshrine protections for transgender individuals at the expense of females in competitive sports. Former Republican Congressman John Faso predicts that more GOP candidates will join Arena in opposing the amendment, as it also undermines parents’ rights.
Nassau County recently approved a law banning transgender athletes from participating in women and girls’ sports at county-owned athletic facilities. However, state Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit to block the ban, arguing that it violates the state’s anti-discrimination statute.
The Coalition to Protect Kids-NY, which opposes the proposed amendment, plans to hold multiple press conferences to “oppose discrimination against girls in sports” on National Women’s Equality Day. They argue that Arena’s campaign scapegoats a small number of transgender kids and is hateful and unacceptable.
The pro-ERA group New Yorkers for Equal Rights insists that the referendum does not explicitly enshrine transgender participation in female sports. They believe that New Yorkers will see through the “blatant lies” and support the amendment in November.
In conclusion, the debate over transgender participation in female sports is intensifying in New York. Gina Arena’s campaign against the proposed “Equal Rights” amendment has gained traction, with more GOP candidates expected to voice their opposition. The controversy highlights concerns about fairness and the potential impact on female athletes. As the November ballot approaches, the outcome of the amendment will determine the future of transgender inclusion in women’s sports in New York.
