Wyoming lawmakers took a significant step on Friday toward restricting transgender athletes at the University of Wyoming and the state’s community colleges from competing in intercollegiate sports divisions that align with their gender identity, the Sheridan Press reports.
The Senate Education Committee approved Senate File 44, “Fairness in Sports-Intercollegiate Athletics,” with a 4-1 vote. Sen. Chris Rothfuss (D-Laramie) was the sole opponent. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Wendy Schuler (R-Evanston), builds upon a 2023 law prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in school sports in grades seven through 12 based on gender identity.
“The bill … is fairly simple,” Schuler said. “It requires students at the University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges to compete in intercollegiate athletic competitions based on their biological sex. What this does, it just protects those female – biological female – athletes, not only with the safety issues, but the fairness issues.”
Dickey Shanor, chief of staff for State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder, voiced support for the legislation on Degenfelder’s behalf. Kirk Young, president of Western Wyoming Community College, expressed disappointment in the NCAA’s lack of guidance on the issue but supported the bill’s clarity and direction.
University of Wyoming volleyball player Macey Boggs also spoke in favor of the measure. Boggs recounted how her team forfeited two matches last season after refusing to compete against an opposing team that included a transgender athlete. The losses, she said, cost her team a spot in the Mountain West Conference championship. Boggs has since joined a lawsuit against the conference.
Nyoka Erikson, a Laramie resident and athlete, urged lawmakers to reject the bill. Erikson, who has competed in roller derby and hockey on both male and female teams, argued that transgender women belong in sports.
“I don’t think it is appropriate for the state to tell sporting organizations what their policy should be,” Erikson said.
The proposed legislation would not extend to visiting teams. Sen. Charles Scott (R-Casper) asked Schuler if the bill would permit the University of Wyoming to ban other teams from bringing transgender athletes to Wyoming for competition. Schuler clarified that the bill does not include such provisions.
