Republican proposal in New Hampshire would protect spaces for women, girls

(The Center Square) — New Hampshire Republicans are advancing a bill that protect spaces for women and girls including bathrooms, locker rooms and sport teams.

Legislation approved by the Senate on Thursday would update the state's anti-discrimination law to carve out exceptions for public restrooms, locker rooms, prisons, jails and sports. If approved, the bill would allow local governments to restrict access to those facilities based on whether individuals are boys or girls. The bill passed 16-9 on a party line vote.

The measure would also allow schools and organized sports in the state to keep boys off girls teams. State prisons and psychiatric hospitals are also included.

"This legislation supports young women and girls in sports," State Senate President Sharon Carson, R-Hudson, told New Hampshire Radio on Friday. "What we see is women losing opportunities to transgender groups. They're biological boys and they're bigger and stronger than they are. They're losing spots on teams and even more importantly, they're losing opportunities for college scholarships. That's not fair. It's not right."

Passage of the Senate bill follows approval of similar legislation by the Republican-majority House of Representatives last week, which also passed largely along party lines.

Democrats blasted the proposals, with some lawmakers equating the bills to discrimination on par with slavery.

"History is watching," state Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, said in remarks on Thursday. "The same arguments being used today will be viewed by future generations with the same moral revulsion we now view segregation laws, anti-marriage-equality laws and anti-discrimination laws. Transgender rights are human rights."

Advocacy groups also blasted the legislation, saying it rolls back gender nondiscrimination protections passed in 2018 and opens the door to discrimination in public spaces, including restrooms.

Linds Jakows, founder of the group 603 Equality, said passage of the legislation sends a message "loud and clear" that Republican lawmakers "intend to use the law to keep transgender and gender nonconforming people out of public life."

"This was never about bathrooms or parental rights," Jakows said in a statement. "It’s about using the power of the state to deny basic freedoms and control our bodies and lives."

Despite the pushback, a poll released on Thursday by the University of New Hampshire found 71% of Granite Staters support policies aimed at keeping males who identify as women out of women’s sports. Only 21% oppose such policies, pollsters found.

President Donald Trump signed the "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order Feb. 5, which barred federal funding for educational institutions that allow males to compete on women's or girls sports teams. He has vowed to cut off funding to states that don't comply with the directive.