Maryland democrat senators vote to block bill banning transgender athletes from girls’ sports

Washington, D.C. – March 4, 2025 – Maryland’s Democratic Senators, Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, stood with their party on Monday night to block a Republican-sponsored bill that would have prohibited transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports at federally funded schools. The “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” introduced by Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), failed to advance in the U.S. Senate with a 51-45 party-line vote, falling short of the 60 votes required to overcome a Democratic filibuster.

The legislation sought to amend Title IX, the federal law ensuring equal educational opportunities based on sex, by defining “sex” as determined solely by “reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” This change would have effectively barred transgender girls and women from participating in female sports programs at schools receiving federal funding. The bill aligned with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on February 5, 2025, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which aimed to impose similar restrictions through administrative action.

The Senate vote highlighted a stark partisan divide. Republicans framed the bill as a necessary safeguard for the fairness and safety of women’s sports, pointing to potential physical advantages transgender athletes might possess. Tuberville, a former college football coach, took to X after the vote, declaring, “This fight isn’t over. I’ll keep pushing to protect our girls.” Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) supported this view, arguing that Title IX was designed to ensure opportunities for girls in athletics and that the bill addressed “basic fairness.”

Maryland’s Cardin and Van Hollen, representing a state known for its progressive policies, joined Democrats in opposing the measure, which they labeled as discriminatory and unnecessary. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) called it an attack on “kids just trying to play sports with their friends,” while advocates like the Human Rights Campaign argued that transgender participation in sports has been a “non-issue” exaggerated for political gain. Critics also raised concerns about enforcement, warning that the bill could lead to invasive checks and further marginalize transgender youth.

Neither Cardin nor Van Hollen issued individual statements post-vote, but their positions reflect Maryland’s strong Democratic leanings and a broader party stance against what many view as exclusionary legislation. The state has consistently supported inclusive policies, including protections for gender identity under its anti-discrimination laws.

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