LANSING, Mich., Jan. 28, 2025 — Michigan House Republicans’ introduced two anti-transgender bills today. House Bill 4031, misappropriately named the “FAIR Act,” Female Athletics Integrity of Records Act, would require official rewards, rankings and records in sports to reflect the “biological sex” of individuals, erroneously defined as “determined at [their] conception.”

The second bill, House Bill 4024, would force educational institutions to determine students’ biological sex as they use changing rooms and bathrooms — a further attack on privacy in an attempt to erase the transgender community.


Notably, neither bill contains language detailing the process for verifying an athlete’s or student’s biological sex, potentially subjecting anyone under suspicion to undergo invasive and dehumanizing “gender checks.”

“It is only a couple weeks into the new 103rd Legislature and the Michigan GOP has already introduced hateful and divisive legislation,” said state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), Progressive Women’s Caucus chair. “Frankly, both this anti-transgender legislation and President Trump’s executive order disgust me — we need to be building a world with more inclusivity and acceptance, not actively working to alienate certain individuals.”

This hateful legislation was introduced in Michigan after similar federal attacks on marginalized people. Within hours of Republican President Donald Trump’s inauguration, he signed an executive order to roll back transgender protections and stop federal diversity programs.

HB 4031 mirrors recently passed policy in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which also won’t allow some individuals to take part in sports on the basis of their gender identity. This legislation awaits a vote in the U.S. Senate.

“This Republican legislation seeks to normalize hate and discrimination, from the bills introduced to the executive order of the president,” said state Rep. Emily Dievendorf (D-Lansing). “This policy uses sports as a guise for anti-transgender hate and marginalization. I took an oath to represent my constituents — all of them — and the Constitution. This legislation is dehumanizing and ridiculous. It is anti-science and perpetuates lies and fear mongering — I will not humor the manipulation of truth in order to make the lives of women and Trans people even harder. We have better things we could be doing with our power.”

This legislation could also harm cisgender women and girls who might be perceived as “masculine.” Many women and girls of color often tend to be seen as older or more masculine because of the ideological relationship between race and femininity. This discourse has occurred regularly with prominent women of color like Michelle Obama, Serena Williams and Imane Khelif.

“As a mom with school-aged kids, it’s clear to me that this makes all of our children less safe. It pushes harmful gender stereotypes not supported by basic science or our lived realities,” said state Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley). “Michigan is a state that welcomes people of all backgrounds, and Michiganders deserve a legislature that affirms our fundamental right to live authentically. The state should not be weaponized against vulnerable people, against our kids, for anyone’s personal political ambitions.”