Grand Canyon Times

As Ariz. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) and Republican state legislators defend against a lawsuit challenging a state law prohibiting boys from participating in girls’ sports, a recent Gallup poll finds 69% of Americans say “athletes should only be allowed to compete on sports teams that conform with their birth gender.”

“Democrats are now divided on allowing transgender athletes to play on either male or female teams, while in 2021 more were in favor than opposed,” said Gallup. “Large majorities of independents (67%) and Republicans (93%) remain opposed to giving transgender athletes a choice of competing on male or female teams.”

The "Save Women's Sports Act" was signed into law in March 2022 by then-Gov. Doug Ducey (R), and prohibits biological males from competing in girls’ sports at the K-12 and collegiate levels. 

A federal lawsuit challenging the law was filed on April 18, 2023 in the U.S. District Court in Tucson. Shortly after that lawsuit was filed, Ariz. Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) announced that she would not defend the state law.

Horne told the Grand Canyon Times that he would hire his own legal team to defend the law, and Ariz. Senate President Warren Petersen (R-12) and Speaker of the House Ben Toma (R) filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit.

A ruling temporarily blocking the state law was issued in July by Judge Jennifer G. Zipps of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. 

Following that ruling, Toma said the legislature had filed a notice of appeal following Zipps’ ruling.