Nebraska Becomes 29th State to Ban Trans-Identified Men From Women's Sports

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed into law the Stand With Women Act, which bans transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that do not align with their biological sex, as determined by a doctor's note. The law applies to public and private K-12 schools and colleges, requiring sports teams to be designated strictly by sex, with female teams excluding male students and vice versa. The legislation was supported by Republican lawmakers, advocates like former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, and emphasizes physiological differences between males and females that affect sports performance and safety. While proponents argue the law protects female athletes' opportunities and safety, opponents, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska and LGBTQ advocates, criticize it as harmful to transgender youth and discriminatory. The bill originally included provisions to restrict transgender students from using bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity, but those were not included in the final law; however, lawmakers intend to pursue those restrictions in future sessions. The law reflects a wider movement in several states to enforce participation in sports based on biological sex rather than gender identity, with Nebraska becoming the 28th state to enact such measures.