Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill into law on Friday that requires transgender student-athletes to play the sport of their choice with the sex they were assigned at birth.

This southern state followed in the steps of Arkansas and Mississippi, who passed similar laws/bills earlier this year. Twenty other states are also in talks of approving the same bills in the near future.

Lee has stated before that transgender women athletes would “destroy women’s sports,” ABC News reported.

Those in support of the bill argue that those who identify as transgender girls are “naturally stronger, faster and bigger” than cis women, which gives them an advantage.

When looking at instances when transgender women or men caused issues in school sports, The Associated Press only found a handful of situations amongst thousands of high school athletes.

Many Tennessee residents were unhappy with this news, wondering what issues transgender students would cause in sports.

Some residents of the state were happy to see this bill get approved on Friday.

A group that serves as a crisis center for transgender children and teenagers, The Trevor Project, has offered its assistance to any of those who feel upset about the ruling.

"This discriminatory policy is illegal," said Sam Brinton of The Trevor Project, “The Trevor Project is here 24/7 to support trans youth in Tennessee and across the country who feel hurt and invalidated by these purely political attacks.”

Early voting underway in historically Republican Tennessee
Early voting underway in historically Republican Tennessee AFPTV / Agnes BUN
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