By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
Late last week, Tennessee became only the third state in the United States to pass legislation that requires transgender students in the state to compete in sports according to their sex at birth.
Hallelujah! Finally, a law has been passed based on common sense and not political correctness.
According to The Tennessean newspaper, the bill quickly advanced in the state legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee on March 26. Supporters of the bill say it will protect women sports by ensuring fairness and eliminating a competitive edge they say transgender women may have over their cisgender (one who identifies with his or her sex at birth) peers.
On Twitter, Gov. Lee posted, “I signed this bill to preserve women’s athletics and ensure fair competition. This legislation responds to damaging federal policies that stand in opposition to the years of progress made under Title IX and I commend members of the General Assembly for their bipartisan work.”
So do I. It’s refreshing to see politicians come together and not let their ties to one party or the other prevent them from doing what’s right.
Pray for Gov. Lee and our lawmakers. They are being criticized by those who opposed the bill and the ACLU of Tennessee has threatened to sue the state.
It’s ironic to see some of the same folks who have lobbied for women to have equal rights over the years now support legislation that could harm women by forcing them to compete with men (regardless of how they identify themselves). It could also force women to lose college scholarships if transgenders are allowed to compete.
Those who oppose the bill say it’s about hate. It’s not about hate. It’s about obeying God’s Word. God clearly states in Genesis 1 that he made male and female. There is nothing in between. If a person chooses to identify with another sex, that is a personal choice. They still have rights as a human being that should not be violated.
At least in this case, common sense prevailed over political correctness. Pray that it will continue. B&R
