Kansas Gov. Kelly vetoes GOP attempt to ban transgender athletes from girls sports
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill banning transgender students from girl’s and women’s school sports Thursday, slamming the GOP-backed measure as a jobs killer that harms children.
“As Kansans, we should be focused on how to include all students in extracurricular activities rather than how to exclude those who may be different than us. Kansas is an inclusive state and our laws should reflect our values. This law does not do that,” Kelly said in a statement.
The move sets up yet another fight in the Kansas legislature over transgender youth and girls sports when lawmakers return to Topeka in May. It is a fight that advocates have warned could be damaging to the already vulnerable queer youth watching from home.
“They see this as one more barrier to being able to live authentic lives,” said Rep. Stephanie Byers, a Wichita Democrat and Kansas’ first transgender lawmaker. She said she was grateful for the governor’s veto and hopeful that lawmakers, some of whom she said voted yes but expressed concerns behind closed doors, would vote against an override.
https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article250869464.html