Congresswoman Lee Statement on Vote Against Genital Exams for Girls in Sports

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) released the following statement on her vote against an extreme bill that would open the door to genital exams for girls and women participating in sports:

“As a former high school and college swimmer, I do not support transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports when fairness or safety is compromised. 

“While I believe governing athletic bodies, like the NCAA, have been slow and inconsistent in updating their policies, the answer is not for the U.S. Congress to institute a nationwide ban for all ages. This is an extremely complicated issue that requires very serious deliberation and updated rulemaking by appropriate governing athletic bodies to address the portion of athletics where fairness or safety is an issue. 

“I opposed this extreme bill because it is government overreach at its finest, it exposes girls and women to genital exams, and it leads to attacks based solely on personal appearance. Genital exams make female athletes a ripe target for sexual predators – already a very real threat. In fact, according to a 2022 study, one in three elite athletes and nearly one in two recreational athletes reported being a victim of sexual harassment and abuse within a 12-month period.  

“Sports taught me resilience, hard work, camaraderie, and teamwork. We should be working to ensure girls and women have safe, fair, and expanded opportunities to participate in sports. But this bill will make all female athletes less safe.”

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