Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, announced in an interview late last week that he will sign a bill banning biological males from competing in girls sports.

DeSantis made the announcement during a town hall event with Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

“Governor DeSantis, a bill of a similar nature is about to cross your desk,” Ingraham said. “Are you going to sign it?”

“Oh, yes. We’re going to protect our girls,” DeSantis said. “I have a four-year-old daughter and a one-year-old daughter, and they’re very athletic. And we want to have opportunities for our girls. They deserve an even playing field. And that’s what we’re doing, with what Mississippi did, with what Florida did, and I know what other states are going to do. So, I look forward to being able to sign that into law.”

PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I also hope Congress will get to my desk the Equality Act to protect LGBTQ Americans.

(APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: It will all change under Americans watching at home, especially young people who are so brave, I want you to know your president has your back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: What about the female athletes, though? Equality Act will mean the end of women’s sports as we know it. Now, it’s obvious to most Americans that allowing biological men to compete against women is just fundamentally unfair. A recent Rasmussen survey found that 54 percent oppose transgender participation in sports teams, only 32 percent support it.

So it’s time to find out how the governors with me tonight are fighting back. I’m once again joined by our red state trailblazers. Governor Reeves, Mississippi became the first start to enact legislation to protect female athletes when you signed it back in March. So we did you think the issue was so important for the people of your state?

REEVES: This is an issue I’m passionate about. And the reason I’m passionate about it is because I have a 16-year-old daughter, a 14-year-old daughter, and a nine-year-old daughter. And they play basketball, and they play soccer, and they play every sport they could possibly play. And the reality is, biological males should not be allowed to compete with them for athletic scholarships. They should not be allowed to be able to compete with them for opportunities.

(APPLAUSE)

REEVES: And so, I was so blessed that the Mississippi legislature sent me a bill to ban that in our state, and I was honored to sign it.

INGRAHAM: Governor DeSantis, a bill of a similar nature is about to cross your desk. Are you going to sign it?

GOV. RON DESANTIS, (R) FLORIDA: Oh, yes. We’re going to protect our girls.

(APPLAUSE)

DESANTIS: I have a four-year-old daughter and a one-year-old daughter, and they’re very athletic. And we want to have opportunities for our girls. They deserve an even playing field. And that’s what we’re doing, with what Mississippi did, with what Florida did, and I know what other states are going to do. So, I look forward to being able to sign that into law.

INGRAHAM: The NCAA put out a statement on transgender athletes. “Inclusion and fairness can coexist for all student athletes including transgender athletes. We’re committed to ensuring that NCAA championships are open for all who earn the right to compete in them.” Governor Reynolds, how is it fair to have biological males compete against women athletes?

GOV. KIM REYNOLDS, (R) IOWA: It’s not fair.

INGRAHAM: So, what if the NCAA isn’t so generic with its language and says we’re going to pull out of your state, we’re not going to have competition in your state?

REYNOLDS: I’m going to do what is right for my state. I’m going to do what’s right for girls. I’m a mom of three daughters and a grandmother of three granddaughters who compete. And it’s the right to do. They should have the same opportunities. And we’re working on legislation, too. I should have that to my desk by, hopefully the end of this legislative session, and we’ll be signing that bill.

(APPLAUSE)

INGRAHAM: Governor Abbott, the corporations are lined up on this issue. It reminds me, and we’re going to get to the voter integrity issue, but they’ve all lined up on the side of transgender athletes should compete in the sport of their choice with the gender of their choice. What are you going to say to these corporations if they say we’re pulling out of Texas?

ABBOTT: They’re tardy to the party. First think, what if they don’t participate in Florida and Texas. Will they even able to have sports events anymore in the United States? I don’t think so.

ABBOTT: But for five years the University Interscholastic League in Texas has had a rule in place prohibiting boys from playing girls in girls’ sports. But the Texas legislature is working on a bill to codify that, which I will sign.

Contributed by The Daily Wire.

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