Discussion · House of Representatives
Sara Jacobs Democrat
“I want the House to vote against this amendment. It discriminates against military kids playing school sports. It would also hurt girls' privacy by forcing them to undergo invasive physical exams to prove their sex.”
“Mr. Chair, it is unfortunate that, once again, I am here fighting with my colleague from South Carolina to prevent her from injecting culture wars into our military. Let’s clear up a few things. This amendment isn’t about the Olympics. It isn’t about the World Cup. It isn’t even about college-level athletics. It is about discriminating against kids in preschool, from preschool to high school, whose parents are serving this country. These are kids who are trying to find a place where they fit in and belong, and this amendment makes them a political and physical target. Military kids change schools frequently due to their parents’ careers. They have mastered the art of saying good-bye to their new friends, their home, their routine because they do it so often. They have missed birthdays and holidays and milestones with their parent when they are deployed, and sometimes they have to grow up too soon, taking on additional responsibilities when one parent is away. We should be doing everything we can to make sure that these kids get to be kids. However, this amendment does the opposite. It politicizes kids who just want to play on a soccer team with their friends. My colleague talks a lot about men forcing their way into girls’ locker rooms. Well, this amendment actually is about forcing men into girls’ locker rooms. It actually makes young girls more vulnerable to the likes of Larry Nassar, who would celebrate a policy like this because it makes it easier to victimize little girls. Think about it: Actual predators will be happy about this amendment. It could force any girl, especially tall, muscular, or more masculine- presenting girls to have to undergo invasive exams to prove that they are a girl. It could require girls of all ages to answer personal questions about their bodies and physical development to adults they may not know. I remember being a girl growing up, and as comfortable as I may be now talking about my period with all of you, that would be my worst nightmare in middle school, but that is the experience we would be forcing on millions of little girls around the country; not just trans girls, all girls. Talk about an invasion of little girls’ privacy. At the end of the day, what is this really accomplishing? The number of trans girls in DODEA schools competing in sports is incredibly small. I bet the author of this amendment doesn’t even know of any. This isn’t a crisis, but my colleague is pretending it is to score political points. The parents of these military kids serve so we can have debates in this Chamber. The least we can do is not make their kids the collateral damage in culture war fights. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,’’ and I reserve the balance of my time.”
Mr. Chair, it is unfortunate that, once again, I am here fighting with my colleague from South Carolina to prevent her from injecting culture wars into our military. Let’s clear up a few things. This amendment isn’t about the Olympics. It isn’t about the World Cup. It isn’t even about college-level athletics. It is about discriminating against kids in preschool, from preschool to high school, whose parents are serving this country. These are kids who are trying to find a place where they fit in and belong, and this amendment makes them a political and physical target. Military kids change schools frequently due to their parents’ careers. They have mastered the art of saying good-bye to their new friends, their home, their routine because they do it so often. They have missed birthdays and holidays and milestones with their parent when they are deployed, and sometimes they have to grow up too soon, taking on additional responsibilities when one parent is away. We should be doing everything we can to make sure that these kids get to be kids. However, this amendment does the opposite. It politicizes kids who just want to play on a soccer team with their friends. My colleague talks a lot about men forcing their way into girls’ locker rooms. Well, this amendment actually is about forcing men into girls’ locker rooms. It actually makes young girls more vulnerable to the likes of Larry Nassar, who would celebrate a policy like this because it makes it easier to victimize little girls. Think about it: Actual predators will be happy about this amendment. It could force any girl, especially tall, muscular, or more masculine- presenting girls to have to undergo invasive exams to prove that they are a girl. It could require girls of all ages to answer personal questions about their bodies and physical development to adults they may not know. I remember being a girl growing up, and as comfortable as I may be now talking about my period with all of you, that would be my worst nightmare in middle school, but that is the experience we would be forcing on millions of little girls around the country; not just trans girls, all girls. Talk about an invasion of little girls’ privacy. At the end of the day, what is this really accomplishing? The number of trans girls in DODEA schools competing in sports is incredibly small. I bet the author of this amendment doesn’t even know of any. This isn’t a crisis, but my colleague is pretending it is to score political points. The parents of these military kids serve so we can have debates in this Chamber. The least we can do is not make their kids the collateral damage in culture war fights. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,’’ and I reserve the balance of my time.