Senator Tommy Tuberville Leads Powerful Roundtable Focusing On Saving Title IX, Women's Sports

There are people out there fighting the good fight. 

On Tuesday, Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville gathered some of the leading voices in women's activism in sports to highlight the growing issue surrounding trans athletes.

Members of the Independent Women's Forum shared powerful testimonies and an important call to action during their discussion alongside Tuberville at the "Take Back Title IX" roundtable.

The discussion around Title IX argued against the White House's rhetoric that the landmark law should offer the protections it gave to women to ‘trans’ women. 

By giving Title IX protections to men pretending to be women, Title IX's effects on women become nullified. The Biden administration wants to identify gender identity under Title IX's protections against sexual discrimination.

Tuberville said it's vital to stand alongside women against the redefinition of Title IX. It was a sit-down worth every American's attention. 

WATCH:

The Republican senator welcomed ex-UPenn swimmer Paula Scanlan (former teammate to trans swimmer, Lia Thomas), former ESPN star Sage Steele, and more. 

Tuberville admitted to being baffled by the idea that men pretending to be women could take precedence over women in American society.

"Never thought I'd see the day in the United States … ," Tuberville said. "Bottom line is: we've lost our mind."

Tuberville acknowledged the painful impact that Biden's Title IX laws could impose on women.

"I don't want to get to the situation where college scholarships for women's sports are given to men," Tuberville said. "We need to go over the science of determining real differences between men and women in sports. …

"We have a bill pushed out in the House and Senate, the Protection of Women and Girls Sports Act. Basically that's what it says. President Joe Biden wants his agenda to say that he can cut off federal funding if you don't allow men in women's sports. Mine says just the opposite: that we do not allow federal funding for men to play in women's sports.

"Title IX is under attack. We're going to lose a lot of women's sports if this happens."

Senator Katie Britt chimed in on supporting women in the trans athletes discourse: "I believe this is about fairness and safety. This isn't against anyone; this is about women getting the opportunity to grow and thrive."

Former ESPN host Sage Steele shared her testimony. Steele's tenure at ESPN peaked while leading ESPN W's launch — celebrating female athletes. Since then, ESPN turned into a space for trans athletes and activists like former USWNT captain Megan Rapinoe to take over.

Steele said, "The W [in ESPN W] meant something … I think that's what's been most heartbreaking, the backtracking. I don't know why … to go from 2010 to see that celebration, seeing Megan Rapinoe on that set with us, being live-streamed across the country to then calling me and Martina Navratilova out, saying we are anti-trans or promoting violence against trans people by standing up for women's sports. It makes no sense. 

"The problem is when people with a voice like her, who've had an incredible career, they have that platform and people are afraid to go against them. We know that cancel culture is real."

Steele announced a dire need for more people with common sense to take a stand.

"… I have no horse in this race," Steele said. "This is not about someone in my family; this is about right and wrong."

Steele highlighted the physical differences in watching men compete against women.

"It's fascinating how it only goes in one direction; are there any NBA players say they want to play in the WNBA? No. What about any other sport? It's only happening in one direction. Why? Because we all know the differences there. 

"People on both sides of the aisle are on the same page on this. It's kind of now or never.

"The silence is what's happened everywhere, with the other women, who've had my platform. With all the biggest star athletes, the silence. The television networks are silent, and it's defeaning."

Former UPenn swimmer and sexual abuse survivor Paula Scanlan shared her testimony behind speaking up against trans swimmer Lia Thomas. Scanlan encouraged listeners to spread the message in support of women's rights in sports rather than folding to the pressure. Scanlan said she's traumatized by being forced to share a locker room with Lia Thomas.

MINDEN, NEVADA - OCTOBER 08: U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) walks on stage during a campaign rally at Minden-Tahoe Airport on October 08, 2022 in Minden, Nevada. Former U.S. President Donald Trump held a campaign style rally for Nevada GOP candidates ahead of the state's midterm election on November 8th.  (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

"My team was not successful because there's not a ton of us," Scanlan said. "There's one of us. I'm the only girl from the University of Pennsylvania's swim team who publicly spoke out about being unhappy with how we were being treated and speaking out about it being unfair for men to compete against women."

When asked about the women who stepped up to support Scanlan behind closed doors, she admitted that only three reached out.

"Three girls have come to me privately, out of 40," Scanlan shared.

"Everything is about Republican or Democrat. This is not a Democrat problem. This is an American problem, just common sense," Tuberville added early on.

"Many will choose to stay silent. I will never apologize for believing that women and girls should have a right to single-sex competition. I'm hoping that my speaking up will encourage coaches, administrators, faculty, parents and athletes to do the same."

Men pretending to be women rank higher on the social scale, according to progressives, so abandoning women's rights to prop up ‘trans rights’ has become their new norm, which is damaging lives and opportunities.  

Tuberville, Scanlan, Riley Gaines and more are ready to risk it all to save athletics for aspiring female athletes.

AUBURN, AL - NOVEMBER 24:  Head coach Tommy Tuberville of the Auburn Tigers celebrates after his team's victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan-Hare Stadium on November 24, 2007 in Auburn, Alabama. Auburn defeated Alabama for their sixth straight win over the Crimson Tide.  (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

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