Fifty years ago, Title IX defined sports as education. That opened the door for a broad menu of choices for girls and women from elementary school to college to experience the joy of winning and the emptiness of defeat. Many learned how to compete and they learned they could win!

Five decades later, many of these competitive women are now found in leadership and decision-making positions in corporations, education, medicine, government and in professional sports, all the while nurturing the next generation. As a result, today’s women have enriched our nation and our world in untold ways.

Recently, transgender athletes are threatening the progress that girls and women have made. Biological males, larger, stronger and faster, are now competing in women’s sports. Female athletes are beginning to see their athletic careers, scholarships and future prospects diminished. Far worse, the joy of winning is often trampled, and with that comes the attitude of “what’s the use in striving?”

The larger issue is this: If allowed to persist, many of the gains that women have made competing on an equal playing field will be lost, potentially sacrificing many future leaders who might contribute so much.

The House of Representatives has passed legislation banning biological males from women’s sports. This is not a partisan issue. The Senate needs to pass it, and send it to the president for his signature. Not doing so would unfairly discriminate against half our population, and that’s too great a price to pay to benefit a few.

Maury Fey

Murrysville

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