Republican Bills Unjustly Target LGBTQ+ Youth, Again

MADISON, Wis. — This morning, Republican State Assembly Rep. Barbara Dittrich reintroduced a pair of regressive bills that unjustly target LGBTQ+ youth and would put elected officials in charge of deciding what sports kids in Wisconsin can play.

“All kids deserve to play the sports they love, and be treated with dignity and respect,” said Chris Walloch, executive director of A Better Wisconsin Together. “Politicians should not be the ones deciding what extracurricular activities our kids have access to.”

Leading experts agree that access to extracurriculars like youth sports is essential to children’s development – and no kid, regardless of age or gender identity, should be barred from building on their talents and learning skills like teamwork and leadership.

“Instead of focusing on the things that we know promote healthy experiences in youth sports, like fully funded schools that can provide high quality coaches, resources, and facilities, Rep. Dittrich and other right-wing lawmakers are trying to use Wisconsin kids as political tools meant to distract and divide,” Walloch continued. “Thanks to progressive leadership from Governor Tony Evers, a similar bill package failed in 2021. We hope that legislative Democrats and Gov. Evers will once again stand in opposition to this egregious attack on Wisconsin’s LGBTQ+ youth.”

Call your legislator today at 1-800-362-9472 and demand they stand with everyday Wisconsinites in making Wisconsin a place where all kids are free to be authentically themselves, play the sports they love, and know that they belong.