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KY Legislature overrides governor’s veto, enacts protections for female athletes

Published
Women's Sports


The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of Advocacy Strategy Emilie Kao regarding the Kentucky Legislature’s override of Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto Wednesday of SB 83, a bill designed to protect athletic opportunities for the state’s female athletes:

“We commend the Kentucky Legislature for securing a level playing field for Kentucky’s female athletes by overriding Gov. Beshear’s misguided veto of SB 83. When the law ignores biological differences, women and girls bear the brunt of the harm. We’ve seen this in the increasing examples of males dominating girls’ athletic competitions when competing as females, capturing championships and shattering long-standing female track records. Kentucky now joins a strong coalition of states that have acted to preserve fair competition for all female athletes, whether in grade school or in college, ensuring they will not face the losses that come with allowing males to compete in women’s sports. We are grateful for the Kentucky legislators who took a strong stand for female athletes by overriding the governor’s veto.”

  • Pronunciation guide: Kao (GOW’)

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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