Senate Vote and Tuberville’s Push

Democrats in the Senate unanimously blocked a bill aimed at preventing biological men from participating in women’s sports, a move Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., sees as ignoring the clear message from the 2024 election. Tuberville’s legislation, which aligns with widespread public sentiment, reflects a stance that resonates with many Americans.

In a procedural vote on Monday, the bill failed to secure the 60 votes needed to overcome a Senate filibuster. Fifty-one Republicans supported moving the bill to a floor vote, while 45 Democrats opposed it, halting its progress.

“It failed yesterday. Not one Democrat supported it, and it’s unfortunate because I don’t think they learned anything from this last election,” Tuberville told The Daily Signal in an interview following a Senate luncheon on Tuesday. His frustration highlights a disconnect between Democratic actions and the electorate’s views, particularly on an issue he champions.

Public Opinion and Political Impact

A January New York Times survey revealed that 79% of respondents believe biological males identifying as women should not compete in girls’ and women’s sports—a statistic underscoring that Americans overwhelmingly reject such policies. Tuberville argues this sentiment played a pivotal role in the 2024 election, a point Democrats seem to overlook.

“President Trump in the last three months of the campaign gained more votes from [the issue of] women’s sports than any other policy,” Tuberville said.

“And so they [Senate Democrats] didn’t learn anything. But that’s fine. We’re going to save women’s sports somehow. But we’re not going to get any Democrat help. So hopefully we can get it done.” His determination reflects both a strategic insight and a commitment to an issue backed by a strong majority.

Tuberville’s bill sought to amend Title IX, the 1972 women’s rights law, by defining “s*x” as “recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” It also proposed withholding federal funding from institutions allowing males to compete in women’s or girls’ sports—a practical step to enforce fairness, as Tuberville sees it.

President Donald Trump bolstered this effort with an executive order in early February. It directs federal agencies to ensure Title IX is interpreted based on biological s*x, not gender identity, aligning with the public’s stance and Tuberville’s legislative goals.

Opposition and Leadership Response

Even Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., viewed as a moderate, joined Democrats in opposing the bill. On X, he posted, “The small handful of trans athletes in PA in a political maelstrom deserve an ally and I am one,” signaling party unity over public opinion.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., voiced disappointment at a Tuesday press conference. “Democrats did not even want to allow us the opportunity to debate this bill,” he said, lamenting the lost chance to address an issue with broad support.

“Almost 80% of the American people and a majority of Democrats don’t believe biological males should be competing against girls in sports,” Thune noted, reinforcing Tuberville’s point with hard data.

“The president took action with an executive order,” he added. “But we would have liked to debate this legislation and to have had an opportunity to codify it so that it doesn’t change when a new administration takes power.”

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., countered on the Senate floor, calling the bill a “dangerous use of the powers of government to target children and their families.”

“Imagine being the parent of a trans kid and telling your child they are not even allowed to play on the same sports team as their friends at school because a politician said they couldn’t,” he argued, framing it as a personal matter rather than a widely supported policy matter.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Should biological men be allowed to play women’s sports? Let us know in the comments!