PR: Bill to protect women in sports passes Senate, NC Values urges NCGA to add college provision
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
BILL TO PROTECT WOMEN IN SPORTS PASSES SENATE, NC VALUES URGES NCGA TO ADD COLLEGE PROVISION
The North Carolina Senate passed SB 631, “The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” today, after the House version of the bill, HB 574, passed yesterday. The bill bans biological boys from participating in girls’ sports teams in middle and high school. Unlike the House version, Senate Bill 631 does not protect women who play sports at the college and university level from unfairly competing against biological males.
“I thank the Senate for protecting girls at the middle and high school level from lost opportunities and unsafe playing conditions by banning boys from their teams; girls deserve to compete in sports on a level playing field. And now we urge the Senate to include protections for all females by including collegiate women as well,” said NC Values Executive Director Tami Fitzgearld. “In college, the physical advantages males have are even more pronounced, and financial risks of losing scholarships and suffering injuries are greater for women forced to compete against biological males. Entire teams lose out as girls are cheated out of opportunities on the playing field. Add to that the emotional shock of sharing locker rooms with fully intact biological males.”
Champion swimmer Riley Gaines testified yesterday that she was denied the trophy in the NCAA finals even though she tied with Lia Thomas, a trans identifying male swimmer. Gaines said she and her teammates from the University of Kentucky suffered emotional distress when they were forced to share a locker room with Thomas who was fully exposed and watched as they undressed.
“We thank the Senate bill sponsors, Senators Kevin Corbin, Joyce Krawiec, and Vickie Sawyer, for sponsoring the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act”, and we look forward to a final bill that will protect all female athletes.” said Fitzgerald.
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PR: “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” passes in House and advances in Senate
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
“FAIRNESS IN WOMEN’S SPORTS ACT” PASSES IN HOUSEAND ADVANCES IN SENATE”
NC Values’ Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald made a statement today about the passage of “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act”:
“NC Values has been working for three years to advance a bill to guarantee a level playing field for girls in sports. Allowing biological males who identify as women to compete against girls in sports puts an end to women’s sports, takes away girls’ opportunities, and jeopardizes their safety. Today, Committees in both the House and Senate and the House as a whole, voted to allow females a level playing field in sports, upholding their rights under Title IX, which affords them fairness in sports. NC Values is thankful Riley Gaines and Payton McNabb worked closely with us and testified about this important legislation. I want to thank Representatives Jennifer Balkcom, Erin Pare, Kristin Baker and Senators Kevin Corbin, Vickie Sawyer, and Joyce Krawiec for being the lead sponsors on this bill to protect biological female athletes in North Carolina. We encourage the Senate to act quickly to pass this bill and join the 21 other states that have already protected fairness for women in sports.”
*Riley Gaines is a spokesperson for Independent Women’s Voice, and was a 12x All-American Swimmer at the University of Kentucky. Riley has made waves for speaking out after tying U-Penn swimmer Lia Thomas, a biological male swimmer on the women’s team, at the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.
*Payton McNabb is from Cherokee, NC and played volleyball at Hiwassee Dam High School until she was severely injured after a transgender biological male spiked a ball in her face. She still faces partial paralysis in her hand, suffers vision, memory, and neck problems and host of other physical challenges.
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PR: “Medical Ethics Defense Act” would protect conscience rights of medical professionals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
“MEDICAL ETHICS DEFENSE ACT” WOULD PROTECT CONSCIENCE RIGHTS OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
“The Medical Ethics Defense Act” (MED Act) was introduced today to protect the conscience rights of medical professionals and entities from being forced to provide any health care service which violates their conscience. Nine out of 10 religious medical professionals say they would rather stop practicing medicine than violate their beliefs.”
“Every American has a Constitutional right to operate according to their moral, ethical, and religious beliefs, and medical professionals are no different,” said NC Values’ Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald. “There has been an attack on the ethics and personal beliefs of medical professionals, driving out doctors, nurses and other entities from medical practice, and this bill would shield them from discrimination while stopping the hemorrhage of people leaving the profession.”
According to a survey of members of faith-based medical organizations, 23% of respondents reported personally experiencing discrimination, and 20% decided against a career in certain fields due to a lack of tolerance for their moral, ethical or religious beliefs; 80% of those respondents chose not to pursue an OBGYN specialty. Thirty-six percent of medical students say they were pressured or discriminated against by medical school administrators or faculty based on their beliefs.
SB 641 would protect medical practitioners and entities from discrimination, punishment, or retaliation for exercising their rights of conscience. It would also insulate healthcare payers and institutions from financial responsibility for health care services which violate their conscience rights. This legislation would give a private right of action to any party harmed by MED Act violations.
Said Fitzgerald, “We thank Senators Ralph Hise, Buck Newton, and Norm Sanderson for sponsoring the MED Act which would protect the Constitutional rights of medical professionals and institutions dedicated to medical care for patients.”
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