SAN ANTONIO — Legislation that Texas Governor Greg Abbott said will protect women's sports is signed into law on Thursday afternoon at the State Capitol.
The Save Women's Sports Act prohibits transgender athletes from competing on college teams that match the gender they identify with.
Supporters of the bill said it's about fairness, equality and protecting women's teams, records and locker rooms.
"All three are jeopardized when men are allowed to compete for those teams," said Gov. Abbott.
The act is similar to another Texas law already on the books that requires children in public school to play on teams that align with their sex assigned at birth.
Robert Salcido Jr. is the executive director at Pride Center San Antonio. He described the bill as harmful and discriminatory.
"It's a bill that is really just a direct attack on our LGBTQ+ community," said
Salcido.
He also said its designed to fix a problem that doesn't exist. A survey by the Austin American Statesman of Texas public universities, the vast majority of responding schools had no knowledge of a transgender athlete competing for their institution.
Still, if a transgender person were to join a team, Salcido said they should be allowed the right to play sports that match the identity of who they are.
"Not only for extracurricular opportunities [but] to have enrichment in their college experience and building friendships and bonds with their fellow students, but also to have the opportunity to compete. And it's just something that is, again, not necessarily an issue that is that is happening," he said.
As for competitive edge, he said supporters of the bill are just looking at one aspect of the player versus looking at the entirety of what sports is all about.
Abbott said it ultimately comes down to protecting freedoms of Texans.
"We will continue to advance policies that protect children and women in sports," Abbott said.