THIS WEEK (4/20), the PA Senate is expected to pass a bill banning trans girls from school sports. Call your senator TODAY and ask them to vote NO on SB 1293!
SB 1293 proposes three main changes to Pennsylvania law:
- SB 1293 would ban transgender girls and women from participating on athletic teams or in sports designated for “females, women or girls.”
- SB 1293 would mandate that all athletic teams and sports sponsored by PA public schools and public higher education institutions be explicitly designated as male, female, or coed, with "sex" defined by anatomy and genetics at birth—but there is no provision in the bill that explains how schools are expected to determine a student’s sex.
- SB 1293 would protect schools from complaints, investigations, or any other legal actions that challenge the ban or sex designations of sports teams.
SB 1293 would violate the constitutional rights and civil liberties of young athletes by permitting sex discrimination in schools or institutions of higher education.
Excluding Trans Athletes Does Not Make Women’s Sports More Fair
SB 1293 cruelly targets vulnerable young people under the banner of protecting women’s sports. This bill is part of an ongoing campaign targeting transgender student athletes. As of December 29, 2025, the ACLU is tracking over 616 anti-TLGBQIA+ laws proposed in 49 states and these bills overwhelmingly target trans youth.
Bans against young trans athletes will not “save women’s sports” or make them more "fair." None of these state bills—including SB 1293—provide more funding, more equipment, or more visibility for youth sports.
Trans students participate in sports for the same reasons other young people do: to challenge themselves, improve fitness, and be part of a team. Inclusion of transgender girls and women in athletics supports the ongoing investment in all girls through access to sports and other athletic activities.
Please call TODAY and ask your senator to VOTE NO on SB 1293!
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For more information, please see the ACLU-PA's opposition to SB 1293.