Overview

• Governor Brian Kemp signed the Riley Gaines Act on April 28, prohibiting transgender students assigned male at birth from competing in girls’ and women’s sports in Georgia's public and private schools and colleges.
• The law requires athletes to compete based on biological sex and mandates separate locker rooms and facilities for male and female students.
• Non-compliant institutions face penalties, including funding cuts and potential lawsuits, as outlined in the legislation.
• Critics argue the law targets transgender youth unnecessarily, citing the absence of documented transgender athletes in Georgia and potential high costs for sex verification tests.
• Georgia joins over two dozen states with similar bans, reflecting a broader national debate over fairness, safety, and LGBTQ rights in sports.