Editor: Fifty-two years after Title IX promised fairness and safety for girls, Pennsylvania still hasn't secured those protections in state law. While lawmakers in both chambers have introduced legislation to preserve fairness and biological reality, Democratic leadership in the General Assembly has refused to bring these bipartisan bills to a vote. Their inaction blocks protections supported by more than 80 percent of Pennsylvanians.
As an educator and the mother of two girl athletes, I've seen how fairness shapes confidence, discipline and resilience. When politics override biology, girls lose more than medals -- they lose trust that their safety and hard work still matter.
There is also a real emotional toll. Girls train for years believing effort creates opportunity. When they are placed in situations where biology -- not dedication -- determines the outcome, it creates anxiety, discouragement and fear. Many young women now compete wondering whether the rules still apply to them and whether the effort they've invested has meaning. Fairness is not just a sports principle; it is essential to protecting their mental health.
Recently, members of our legislative committee met with the Office of the House Majority Leader to ask why SB 9 has cycled through four committees without reaching the House floor. Instead of collaboration, our concerns were dismissed as "not a problem in Pennsylvania." That statement ignores what girls and families are experiencing across this state.
Three bills -- Senate Bill 9, House Bill 158 and House Bill 1849 -- would protect girls' sports, privacy, and scholarships while upholding the original intent of Title IX. Yet Democratic leadership has stalled them again and again.
Every delay sends a message to young women that their safety is negotiable. It's time for Pennsylvania's leaders to act, restore fairness, and honor the promise Title IX made half a century ago.