Transgender advocates speak out against senator Claire Chandler's proposal to "save" women's sport

Transgender advocates have spoken out against a proposed bill that «seeks to exclude trans girls and trans women from participating in sports» based on their biological sex.

Earlier this month, Tasmanian Liberal Senator Claire Chandler introduced her private member's bill to the Senate to amend laws relating to sex discrimination in sport.

Senator Chandler said her «Save Women's Sports» bill, would clarify that the operation of single-sex sport on the basis of biological sex was not discrimination.

She said she did not think it was safe to expect female players to compete against males.

«What my bill is seeking to do is just ensure that these sporting clubs can't have legal action taken against them if they choose to offer single-sex sport for women and girls,» she said.

«Women and girls have had a right to access single-sex sport for generations now, that right was hard fought for and I'm just seeking to protect that.»

Senator Chandler said sporting clubs across Tasmania and Australia were calling for the changes but was unable to name a single sporting group that was calling for trans-women to be excluded. 

«I've been contacted by parents of girls who have realised how despondent their girls have become competing in sport in situations where they're competing against males and feeling like they're not good enough to be in the game and I think that's an untenable position,» she said.

«It's not forcing sporting clubs to do anything, it's just providing that legal certainty.

»If sporting clubs and organisations and sport administrators still want to offer mixed-sex sport options or open options, they're still going to be able to do that."

Former Tasmanian anti-discrimination commissioner Robin Banks said the bill was «a legislative