Late in the evening on Sunday, the Alaska House of Representatives passed House Bill 183, a measure that would protect girl and women athletes from unfair competition in their sports by boys and men who prefer to present as females (transgenders).
HB 183 was contentious from the moment it was introduced, in that Democrats put up more objection to this bill than any other in recent memory, adding amendment after amendment to delay a vote. Those who spoke against the bill could barely contain their emotions Sunday night. Showing fatigue and personal trauma, their voices shook, their bodies trembled, and some of them were on the verge of tears or choked up to the point they could barely continue.
Selected floor remarks by House members prior to the final vote on HB 183:
Bill sponsor Rep. Jamie Allard: “Like my mom, my grandmother, and my great-grandmother before me, I plan on protecting my daughters. Expecting girls and women to be physically equal to boys and men is not equality. Equality is giving girls the same opportunities as boys and men. But madam speaker, if forced to compete against biological males, women will be disadvantaged once again.”
Bill opponent Rep. Andrew Gray: “In their biological brains, trans girls are biologically female.”
Bill opponent Rep. Louise Stutes: “I’m astounded we have spent days on a bill, House Bill 183, that is unquestionably unconstitutional. Aside from the fact that there’s not one of these instances addressed in this bill happening in Alaska today.”
Bill opponent Rep. Alyse Galvin: “We have heard from dozens of kids and parents that this bill will do significant harm to a large number of Alaskans who are trans or who have loved ones who are trans.”
Bill opponent Rep. Andy Josephson: “So yes, could these bizarre circumstances happen where there’s a transgender girl who by size and acumen and talent, could compete at the highest levels with boys and men but chooses to compete with girls, yes that could happen, and that concerns me. Now, when I say concerns me, it’s like the 5,000th thing in the world that concerns me. I’m more concerned about getting home to work my lawn than I am about that, by a lot.”
Bill opponent Rep. Jennie Armstrong: “When I was a junior in high school, I left the church because of anti-LGBTQ propaganda. I knew that my church had it wrong and that my god centers love and acceptance. And I was so grateful that I was able to separate god from dogma at a young age.”
Bill opponent Rep. CJ McCormick emotionally relived childhood trauma while he described how he was bullied, but how sports was his place where he could make friends out of those who bullied him.
Bill opponent Rep. Zack Fields: “This is a blatantly unconstitutional bill. Our attorneys have told us that based on clearly false information. It would put findings that are sexist in state statute. It is morally offensive to put discriminatory laws on our statute books again 79 years after the state of Alaska passed the anti-discrimination act. The most absurd thing about this bill is that it would force all girls, my girls, to undergo a genital inspection test.”
Sponsor Rep. Jamie Allard: Madam Speaker, there are members of this body who are misunderstanding this bill. They are saying this bill provides for a general inspection of genitalia. Wow. Madam Speaker, that’s gross. That is absolutely insane. The narrative that is being put out to all Alaskans across this great state is trying to do a scare tactic. Nowhere in this two-and-a-half page bill does it say anything about genitalia exams. That is just not true.”
Watch the exchange with Rep. Gray at this clip, where Allard calls out the media to find any portion of the bill that requires genital exams:
The votes on the bill went largely along party lines, with only Rep. Daniel Ortiz of Ketchikan breaking with the Democrat caucus to vote with Republicans:
Yeas: Jamie Allard, Thomas Baker, Ben Carpenter, Julie Coulombe, Mike Cronk, David Eastman, Craig Johnson, DeLena Johnson, Kevin McCabe, Tom McKay, Daniel Ortiz, Mike Prax, George Rauscher, Justin Ruffridge, Dan Saddler, Laddie Shaw, Will Stapp, Jesse Sumner, Cathy Tilton, Frank Tomaszewski, Sarah Vance, and Stanley Wright.
Nays: Jennie Armstrong, Ashley Carrick, Maxine Dibert, Bryce Edgmon, Zack Fields, Neal Foster, Alyse Galvin, Andrew Gray, Cliff Groh, Sara Hannan, Rebecca Himschoot, Andy Josephson, CJ McCormick, Donna Mears, Genevieve Mina, Cal Schrage, Andi Story, and Louise Stutes.
House Bill 183 is seen by most observers as dead in arrival in the Democrat-led Senate, as time has run out for this session. The Legislature must adjourn May 15.
