By Amy Waychoff
Delegate Kathy Szeliga (District 7) is once again putting forward her Fairness in Girls’ Sports Bill (HB 156), ensuring that only biological girls can compete in girls’ JV and varsity high school sports in Maryland. According to Delegate Szeliga, “we are on the right side of history by seeking to protect young female athletes in Maryland, and we will not wait until there is another victim of violence, stolen record, or missed scholarship before we act.”
Please help get this important bill passed by doing the following:
- Call for Stories and Voices: We’re looking for brave young high school girls who have had to compete against boys in Maryland. If you or someone you know is willing to share their experience, please get in touch ([email protected]).
- Sign and Share the Petition: Thousands joined our efforts last year, and we need an even larger coalition to make those in Annapolis take notice of the fact that the PUBLIC supports Fairness in Girls’ Sports!
- Stand with Us: Join us for a press conference before the bill hearing, sometime before 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 29. Your presence speaks volumes.
In addition, please sign up to testify or send an email to the Ways and Means Committee:
House Ways and Means Committee
_________________________________________________________
HB 47
House Ways and Means Committee
Support Amy Waychoff Montgomery County, LD 18
January 31, 2024
My name is Amy Waychoff and I have lived in Montgomery County for over 36 years. Thank you for this opportunity to testify in support of HB 47, the Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act.
As a competitor in volleyball, softball and tennis when I was a teenager, I have fond memories about how those activities improved my self esteem, and in particular, my body image. Being with a group of other teens of the same sex all working toward a common goal was empowering.
Today, we have decided that Title IX is not meant to empower women, but to empower men with gender dysphoria who think they are women and therefore believe they are entitled to play girls’ and women’s sports. This movement is taking Title IX and twisting it like a pretzel into something unrecognizable.
Last year, a top NCAA female swimmer from the University of Kentucky spoke out about her experiences competing against transgender athlete Lia Thomas. According to Riley Gaines, the most traumatic part of the competition was not in the swimming pool, but in the locker room: “We did not give our consent, they did not ask for our consent, but in that locker room we turned around and there’s a 6’4” biological man dropping his pants and watching us undress. [A year or two ago] this would have been considered
some form of sexual assault [or] voyeurism.” She added that “it’s my duty as a female athlete who experienced this injustice to advocate for those female athletes who are emotionally blackmailed and gaslit into silence.”
Women deserve to have their dressing rooms, and the opportunities for sports scholarships, reserved for their own sex. I therefore strongly support the Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act.
Thank you for this opportunity to testify.
______________
Amy Waychoff is an Executive Committee Member of the Montgomery County Republican Party.