WILTON MANORS, Fla. – A South Florida community is outraged over a new law limiting young transgender athletes.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the controversial bill on the first day of Pride Month.
Supporters are celebrating, saying this law will protect fairness in girls’ sports.
But those advocating for trans youth believe it’s cruel and politically motivated, especially given what June 1 stands for.
A group in Wilton Manors originally planned to celebrate their PRIDE on the first day of June, but instead they protested.
“It is an outrageous thing that the governor chose the first day of Pride month to sign the first anti-LGBT law in Florida in 24 years,” said Joe Saunders of Equality Florida.
Tuesday, DeSantis signed a bill into law banning students who identity as transgender girls from playing on sports teams in middle and high schools.
Supporters of the measure, like Connecticut student track athlete Selina Soule, said it’s about fairness, telling her story about racing against two trans athletes.
“In just three years these two athletes won 15 women’s championship titles and they set 17 new individual meet records,” Soule said.
The Human Rights Campaign and the ACLU have vowed to fight the ban in court.
When asked about the timing of this measure, this being the first day of Pride Month, DeSantis said the timing had nothing to do with Pride.