Attendees at Gov. Greg Abbott’s ceremonial signing of the “Save Women’s Sports” Act at the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame on Monday were reportedly harassed by opponents of the legislation as they left the building.
Senate Bill 15, which was officially signed on June 15 and goes into effect on September 1, prohibits non-biological females from participating in women’s sports at the collegiate level in Texas.
This bill is similar to House Bill 25, passed in 2021, which mandates that Texas public school students in grades K-12 who participate in school-related sports must do so based on their biological sex as listed on their birth certificate.
During the ceremonial signing of SB 15 attended by The Dallas Express, Abbott said the bill will protect the accomplishments of women in Texas.
“The Texas Women’s Hall of Fame ensures that the achievements and contributions of women across Texas are written into our state’s legacy,” said Abbott at the signing. “We gather today to safeguard that legacy for women in college sports.”
Meanwhile, protesters gathered outside of the Hall of Fame, with some yelling, “Trans rights are human rights,” per Fox News.
As those present at the signing left the building, they were reportedly met with hostile behavior from the protesters.
Michelle Evans, the Austin chapter leader of IWV, told Fox News she estimated roughly 250 “rabid” protesters were outside the event.
“When I turned around to go back inside of the building, that’s when somebody threw water on me,” Evans told Fox.
“Somebody told me they know where I f—ing live. There was somebody that got in front of me to try to physically block me from going back inside and pushed her body up against mine. Somebody hit my arm, and then someone — a woman in a pink ski mask and sunglasses — spit into my open eye.”
Although Evans wished to press charges on the apprehended suspect, a police officer said only a misdemeanor assault ticket would be issued. Evans posted a video from the incident on her Twitter account.
This petite little handmaiden shoved and hit me. Need a name so I can press charges 🙏 pic.twitter.com/qRa756jpfZ
— Michelle Evans (@ThinkerMichelle) August 8, 2023
Riley Gaines, a 12-time All-American swimmer and an advisor for the IWV, was also present at the signing and spoke about the protesters.
“Even in the great state of [Texas], protesters have tried to find a way to smear the celebration of Governor Abbott signing SB 15, which protects female collegiate athletics. But they can’t,” said Gaines, per Fox News.
“Bottles are being thrown, protesters are spitting in people’s faces, profanity is being yelled at children. Law enforcement has stepped in and provided protection.”
DISGUSTING: Protestors targeted young girls outside of the signing of the #SaveWomensSports Act in Texas.
Girls, as young as 5, were harassed & called vulgar names, all for joining the celebration of protecting equal athletic opportunity. pic.twitter.com/QdPFpThq6L
— Independent Women's Voice (@IWV) August 7, 2023
Another video from Texas State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston), the primary author of SB 15, appears to show protesters making salacious remarks to people peacefully leaving the building.
Welcome to the “tolerant left” —spitting on us, throwing water on us and willing to get violent to oppose fairness in women’s sports, the save women’s sports act pic.twitter.com/klIiHHFyAj
— Mayes Middleton (@mayes_middleton) August 8, 2023
Abbott said during the signing that the integrity of women’s sports was undermined by the practice of allowing non-biological females to compete with biological females.
“They devoted their lives, working harder probably than anybody in this room. Longer days, longer nights, sacrificing so much to achieve a goal, only to have the goal erased by being forced to compete against a man,” he claimed.
“Everyone needs to comprehend what these women, and other women, have been through.”
In contrast, Texas Rep. John Bucy (D-Austin) did not support the bill’s passage, arguing the “Save Women’s Sports” Act does not accomplish its intended goal.
“I moved to strike the enacting clause of #SB15 because attacking trans women does nothing to save women’s sports. It’s a solution to [a] problem that does not exist. What’s worse — it ignores the actual barriers women face,” Bucy said on social media.
