Polls in recent years have clearly shown that the majority of Americans oppose allowing biological males who identify as "transgender" to compete in women's sports. A Gallup poll published last month reaffirmed Americans' views on this issue and even showed that more Americans now than in 2021 believe that male-bodied athletes who believe they are women should not be permitted to compete in women's and girls' sports.
This week, a Suffolk University/USA Today poll found that most Ohioans disagree with allowing transgender athletes to play on female sports teams in schools. In addition, the poll found that most Ohioans do not want children attending drag performances.
An overwhelming majority, 70 percent, told pollsters that they "disagree with letting transgender girls who use hormones play on female teams." Only 21 percent said they would support allowing male-bodied "trans" athletes to play on school sports teams for females. Nine percent of respondents were undecided.
As for drag shows, 66 percent of Ohioans said that these kinds of performances should be restricted to those 18 years of age and older. Thirty percent disagreed, and 4 percent were undecided.
"It's an issue of fairness," State Rep. Jean Schmidt, a Republican, told The Columbus Dispatch. "I think people from both parties see that. It's just common sense. We are different. We're made different."
Broken down by political party, Republicans "overwhelmingly" do not support allowing trans athletes in women's sports, the Dispatch noted. As for Democrats, 45 percent support transgender athletes and 40 percent oppose.
"On the ground, this is what people are talking about," State Rep. Josh Williams, a Republican, told the outlet. "When we go into districts and we are talking to voters at the doors, overwhelmingly we hear it should not be permitted."
Sixty-six percent of respondents in the poll said that drag performances should be restricted to ages 18 and older. But, this figure included only 45 percent of Democrats. Fifty-four percent of Ohio Democrats disagreed.
In recent years, many states have enacted laws prohibiting male athletes who believe they are transgender from competing in women's sports at the K-12 level. And some states, like Alabama, have signed legislation protecting women's sports at the college level.
On the national level, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R) and Florida Rep. Greg Steube (R) announced the "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023" in response to the Biden administration's push to rewrite Title IX to include the concept of "gender identity."
"By allowing biological males onto women's teams and into women's locker rooms, the woke Left is working to completely wipe away women's sports. The best way to counter Biden's dangerous rewrite of Title IX is for Congress to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. Every student, parent, teacher, and citizen deserves to know where their member of Congress stands on this issue," Steube told Townhall when the legislation was announced.
"Throughout my coaching career, I saw the incomparable success of Title IX and the educational and personal opportunities sports have provided to millions of female athletes. For more than 50 years, this law has empowered young women to grow personally, compete professionally, and receive scholarships to further their education," Tuberville added.
