New anti-trans sports bill in Tennessee, as mental health crisis surges

An anti-trans bill has been passed in the Tennessee State House that will withhold public funds from schools that allow transgender students to participate in sports

The bill passed with a vote of 66-22 and adds to the law that requires schools to determine a student’s birth gender.

Last year, a law was put into place that requires schools to determine a student’s gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student’s sex at the time of birth.

It’s not clear how much money will be withheld from districts, but they will be liable if they fail to act and abide by the new legislation.

There has been widespread division surrounding transgender students participating in sports.

Multiple bills are now targeting transgender students, with some saying it has sparked a mental health crisis in youth.

This comes as celebrities take to social media to condemn the discriminatory bills against the LGBTQ community.

Superstar Ariana Grande has pledged to match up to $1.5 million in donations to advocacy groups. She wants to help fight the wave of anti-trans bills circulating through state legislatures.

This year alone, the United States has passed hundreds of bills that limit the rights of the LGBTQ community. However, these are mainly targeted toward transgender people.