Arizona Gov. Ducey signs legislation barring transgender females from playing girls sports

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Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law Wednesday a pair of bills, one that prevents transgender girls from participating in female school sports and another that prohibits gender reassignment surgery for minors in the state.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey answers a question during a news conference in Phoenix March 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The two "common-sense" measures — Senate Bill 1138 and Senate Bill 1165 — were signed in an attempt to ensure "that the girls and young women who have dedicated themselves to their sport do not miss out on hard-earned opportunities," according to the governor.

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SB 1138 states that a "physician or other health care professional may not provide gender transition procedures to any individual under eighteen years of age." SB 1165 prevents transgender girls from playing on girls teams. And it requires "each interscholastic or intramural athletic team or sport that is sponsored by a public school or a private school whose students compete against a public school" to designate a gendered name to the team based on the biological sex of the participants. For example, "boys," "girls," "male," "female" or "coed" are among the accepted designations the teams can give themselves.

"Today I signed S.B. 1138 and S.B. 1165, legislation to protect participation and fairness for female athletes and to ensure that individuals undergoing irreversible gender reassignment surgery are of adult age," Ducey wrote in a letter to Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs.

Ducey said the legislation is "common