By Sherman Smith, The Topeka Capitol-Journal

LGBTQ advocates launched an offensive Thursday against legislation drafted by a Kansas House member who wants to ban transgender children in public and private schools from participating in girls sports.

Rep. Michael Capps, R-Wichita, defended his proposal as a proactive effort to preserve fair competition.

The Girls Athletic Protection Act, which Capps hasn’t introduced yet, requires students to participate in gender-specific athletics based on their biological gender at birth.

Tom Witt, executive director of Equality Kansas, Rep. Susan Ruiz, D-Shawnee, and Rep. Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, denounced the legislation in a news conference Thursday and urged Capps not to file the legislation. Ruiz and Woodard in January 2019 became the first openly gay members of the Legislature.

“All across the country, the anti-LGBT bills, they’re picking on little kids,” Witt said. “And that’s what we have here in this bill. We have grown men who should know better targeting juveniles for bigoted and hateful legislation. We’re tired of it.”

 

Read the full article at the Topeka Capitol-Journal.