Lawsuit in Connecticut Underscores Why Arkansas Passed Law Protecting Fairness in Women’s Sports

Earlier this month the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that biological males can compete against females in women’s sports in Connecticut.

The ruling came about as the result of a lawsuit brought by four female student athletes against the Connecticut Association of Schools after the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference adopted a policy that lets males who claim to be female compete in girls’ athletics.

Attorneys representing the four female athletes say they may appeal the court’s decision.

Situations like this one are part of the reason Arkansas and other states have enacted legislation protecting fairness in women’s sports.

Act 461 of 2021 by Sen. Missy Irvin (R — Mountain View) and Rep. Sonia Barker (R — Smackover) protects fairness in women’s sports at school by preventing male student athletes from competing against girls in women’s athletics.

Over the past few years we have seen biological males dominate women’s athletics in some parts of the country.

For example, in 2019 Rachel McKinnon — a biological male who claims to be female — won the female Cycling World Championship.

More recently, biologically male athlete Lia Thomas shattered women’s swimming records and was even nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year.

Letting males compete in girls’ sports reverses 50 years of advancements for women and effectively erases girls’ athletics.

It hampers girls’ abilities to compete for athletic scholarships, and it hurts their professional opportunities as adults.

It isn’t just unfair. In some sports, it can even be dangerous.

Arkansas’ Act 461 is a good law that protects women and upholds fairness in women’s sports in Arkansas.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.