ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Republican state senators continued to lobby for more government restrictions on who can play girls’ sports on Thursday, demanding more from Gov. Kathy Hochul in a letter. Citing safety concerns and fairness issues, they met with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman—a potential Republican candidate for governor of New York in 2026—to advocate for a full ban on transgender girls on school teams.

The push follows President Donald Trump’s February executive order—”Keeping men out of women’s sports”—directing federal agencies to cut funding from schools that accept transgender girl players, to whom Republicans consistently refer as biological males. They also consistently referred to Siena polls showing that most New Yorkers want high school athletes to compete among players who share their biological sex.

Twenty-one Republican state senators signed a letter—available to read at the bottom of this story—to Hochul, telling her to comply with Trump’s order defunding schools that let trans girls on girls’ teams or in girls’ locker rooms. That order also directed agencies to pressure professional sports organizations to enact similar restrictions.

And the letter also expressed “deep concern” that New York State Public High School Athletic Association Executive Director Robert Zayas told schools not to exclude transgender girls. It also criticized the Saratoga Springs City School District for approving a trans-inclusive policy as “in direct contradiction to the executive order.”

The lawmakers promoted two short, separate bills banning seventh through twelfth graders assigned male at birth—or AMAB students, as opposed to AFAB students assigned female at birth—from joining female athletic teams. Neither would affect elementary or college competitions, which fall under different regulations.

S4496/A7741, introduced by State Senator Alexis Weik and Assemblymember Andrea Bailey, would directly prohibit AMAB students from joining athletic teams “expressly designated solely for female athletes” in both public and private schools. S460/A8239, from State Senator Steve Rhoads and Assemblymember John Mikulin, meanwhile, would prevent the Commissioner of the New York State Education Department from stopping any individual districts from banning trans girls from girls’ sports.

Weik, a personal trainer, argued that testosterone gives male athletes obvious, insurmountable physical advantages. She pointed to Olympic records and athletic achievements as evidence that biological males consistently outperform biological females in sports.

“When we allow biological males to compete in women’s sports, we are discriminating against women,” Weik said on Thursday. “It’s taking away opportunities for women and replacing it with more opportunities for males.”

While the senators referred to national incidents to bolster their safety concerns, none were within New York. They maintained that their legislation was based on science rather than transphobia, arguing that biological facts are not untruthful or discriminatory. Even so, they did not determine any specific testosterone threshold, method for easily and accurately determining a student’s biological sex, or avenue that would let trans students play sports at school.

When asked about creating separate categories or accommodations, Weik said those conversations “haven’t happened at this point” and that developing inclusive options would be left to individual school districts and communities. Nor has the state provided any specific data on how many transgender students currently participate in girls’ sports across New York schools.

In February, the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute estimated that about 122,000 transgender youth aged 13-17 participate in high school sports nationally, based on data showing 40.7% of transgender high school students play on at least one sports team. In New York, approximately 182,400 transgender youth aged 13-17 live in the state, which currently has no explicit ban on transgender sports participation. Nationally, NCAA President Charlie Baker testified in December that under 10 transgender athletes compete among over 500,000 total student athletes at the college level.

Blakeman, who joined the Republicans for a Thursday press conference, described transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports as “bullies” and commanded biological males to stop competing against females. Last year, he issued an executive order banning trans athletes from girls’ teams at county facilities, which the Nassau County Legislature later codified into law.

Research shows that playing sports correlates with higher self-esteem, lower depression levels, and a better sense of belonging among LGBTQ students. And studies have found that trans kids who play sports have better grades and less psychological distress.

The Williams Institute analysis said that “current evidence does not suggest there is a categorical athletic advantage for transgender female athletes when compared with cisgender female athletes.” Even so, their report noted that data on transgender athletic performance remains limited. Either way, New York State does currently let its transgender students play in sports on whichever team matches their gender identity.

NYSED issued a statement in February denouncing Trump’s executive orders as “antithetical” to educational tradition and “ineffective” because presidents cannot selectively enforce laws. “The Board and the Department remain committed to the inherent dignity and worth of every child,” the statement read. “As such, we denounce the intolerant rhetoric of these orders.”

What’s more, New Yorkers voted on Proposition 1 back in November 2024, deciding to add protections against discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression to the state constitution. Some trans rights advocates theorized that the amendment would protect transgender athletes from exclusion from sports teams; skeptics argued it would force biological men into sacred spaces meant for girls.

With one week remaining in the legislative session, Republican senators face significant obstacles to passing their bills with Democrats controlling both chambers of the legislature. Rhoads said his bill could be brought to the floor immediately since it passed committee, but that would require Democratic leadership to schedule it.

The senators plan to continue trying to defend girls’ sports if the legislation doesn’t advance this session, framing it as a moral imperative under Title IX, the 1972 federal law guaranteeing equal opportunities in education. Legal challenges to similar bans in other states have produced mixed results. Some federal courts have ruled that excluding transgender girls violates Title IX protections against sex discrimination, while others have found that including them violates the same law by disadvantaging cisgender girls.

Take a look at the letter below:

VEGAS (June 9, 2025) – AFC Bournemouth President of Business Operations, Jim Frevola, announced today, June 9, the second annual AFC Bournemouth Summer Youth Soccer Camp presented by City National Bank is underway and will run daily through June 13, 2025, at the Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex.

Girls and boys aged 7 to 14 will participate in practices that cover passing, dribbling, receiving, shooting, as well as principles of attacking and defending, while competing in small tournaments, fun games, and challenges. Steve Cuss, the Head of Community at AFC Bournemouth and the Manager of the AFCB Women’s team, is leading the camp along with other members of the AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust staff.

“With Bournemouth coming off such a historic season, we are excited to offer our local youth the opportunity to learn from the world’s best coaches,” said Vegas Golden Knights Chief Marketing Officer Eric Tosi. “This program provides an incredible experience for all those participating and continues our increased collaboration and connection between our city and AFC Bournemouth to firmly establish Las Vegas as a North American home for The Cherries.”

During the five-day event, sessions are held daily from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. PT with over 100 participants from across the Las Vegas Valley, including members from the Vegas Bourne Youth Soccer League. On the final day of camp, participants are invited to attend an Open Skate presented by City National Bank on June 13, from 1:50 to 3 p.m. PT at City National Arena.

AFC Bournemouth is coming off a historic season after recording its highest points total of 56 while scoring 58 goals, both Premier League highs for the club. The Cherries completed the season with a ninth-place finish to match their club high (also 2016-17 season) in its 126-year history. AFC Bournemouth is set to participate in the Premier League Summer Series in the United States this summer. The second edition of the pre-season tournament brings world-class football and Premier League matchday experiences to three iconic locations in the USA from July 26 to August 3.

Alongside Everton, Manchester United, and West Ham United, The Cherries will compete in the round-robin tournament for the chance to win the second edition of the Premier League Summer Series. Fans will have the chance to see all four teams play in double-header matchdays, which will take place in New Jersey, Chicago, and Atlanta.

AFC Bournemouth’s continued efforts and vision in the local community are shared with its partner, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club. DLVSC continues to provide its insights on the local community with a shared goal of youth development and opportunities to play soccer here in Las Vegas.

ABOUT THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTSThe Vegas Golden Knights are a National Hockey League franchise owned and operated by Black Knight Sports and Entertainment LLC. Established by Owner and Chairman Bill Foley and his family, the Golden Knights were the most successful expansion franchise in North American professional sports history in 2017-18 and won the Stanley Cup in 2022-23. For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights visit vegasgoldenknights.com and follow the team on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

ABOUT AFC BOURNEMOUTH
AFC Bournemouth is a professional football club based in Kings Park, Boscombe, a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest division of English club football. Formed in 1899 as Boscombe, the club adopted its current name in 1971. Nicknamed “The Cherries,” Bournemouth plays its home games at Vitality Stadium, at Dean Court. The home colors are red-and-black striped shirts, which have been a tradition dating back to the club’s establishment.

For more on the club, visit afcb.co.uk.

ABOUT CITY NATIONAL BANKCity National Bank, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), is the largest bank headquartered in Los Angeles. Founded in 1954, City National is a regional bank specializing in Wealth Management and Private Banking, Entertainment & Sports Banking, Commercial Banking, and Consumer Banking, with branches and locations in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Nashville, Atlanta, Delaware, Las Vegas, Washington D.C. and Miami. For more information about City National, visit the company’s website at cnb.com.