<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614129442761.png" alt="State Rep. Stephanie Byers is the first transgender member of the Kansas legislature. She is against the bill." />
 <figcaption>State Rep. Stephanie Byers is the first transgender member of the Kansas legislature. She is against the bill.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — LGBTQ-rights advocates warned Kansas legislators Tuesday that their discussion of a proposed ban on transgender students in girls’ and women’s school sports would lead to bullying, and one group promised to sue the state if such a law is enacted.The state Senate Education Committee had a hearing on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb208_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;backed by some athletes, Republican lawmakers and conservative groups. It would apply to K-12 school and college sports. Supporters portrayed it as an attempt to ensure competition remains fair and that girls and woman aren’t deprived of scholarships and other opportunities in sports.Idaho’s Republican-controlled Legislature enacted such a law last year. Lawmakers in at least 20 states are considering the idea after an executive order from Democratic President Joe Biden prohibiting discrimination against transgender students sparked a backlash. But in the GOP-controlled Kansas Legislature, Republicans appear split over how aggressively to pursue the measure.Critics told the Senate committee that merely holding a hearing would tell transgender students that they’re not wanted, and several LGBTQ-rights advocates predicted that news reports would lead to harassment of vulnerable students. They said allowing transgender girls to participate in girls’ sports affirms their identities, making it less likely that they will become suicidal.“I’m tired of burying trans kids,” said Kendall Hawkins, policy coordinator for the Kansas chapter of GLSEN, an LGBTQ-rights group. “Why aren’t you?”The Kansas State High School Activities Association, which oversees sports and other activities in K-12 schools, says it has been notified of five transgender students who are active in middle school or high school activities. The association does not track the individual students’ performance, and there’s no record of a transgender athlete winning a championship.“This bill is telling children like my daughter that she is less than other children,” said Ryann Brooks, the mother of a 12-year-old transgender girl in Emporia. “You’re telling children like my daughter that they don’t belong in activities.”The U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ef3c19a79b65c060fd9e82b9dd87a1d9">ruled last year</a>&nbsp;that a federal law barring employment discrimination based on sex also bars bias based on sexual orientation or gender identify, and a federal judge last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boise-lawsuits-politics-gender-identity-courts-89b70fd5f82812c9368f985e389c485d">blocked Idaho’s law</a>&nbsp;against transgender athletes, though the ruling has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-brad-little-boise-courts-gender-identity-593957554063ca606e3ae50e68c4a135">been appealed.</a>&nbsp;Kendall Seal, advocacy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said after the hearing that if lawmakers pass the bill, “We’ll see you in court.”

Critics: Kansas bill on transgender athletes will cause bullying