On March 6, the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) provided testimony in favor of Assembly Bill 100. This bill mandates that K-12 schools designate sports teams based on the biological sex of students.
David Earleywine, Associate Director of WCC, articulated the Catholic Church’s stance on this matter. He said: “As Catholics, we believe that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God and is deserving of dignity, respect, and compassion. We know every person is born biologically and genetically either male or female.” He referenced the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ position: “Consistent with the Catholic Church’s clear teaching on the equality of men and women, we reaffirm that, in education and in sports as elsewhere, policies must uphold human dignity.”
Earleywine emphasized that while everyone should have the opportunity to participate in sports, not all teams should be open to everyone due to concerns about fairness and safety. He cited the USCCB’s view that “male competition in activities designated for women and girls can be both unfair and, especially in high-contact sports, unsafe.”
He also highlighted the Church’s position on gender dysphoria: “Students who experience gender dysphoria bear the full measure of human dignity, and they therefore must be treated with kindness and respect.” The Church opposes unjust discrimination against transgender individuals.
In his conclusion, Earleywine suggested three ways to treat everyone with charity and dignity: desiring the good for others like Christ would; avoiding extremes by acknowledging both biological reality and individual pain; and upholding truth by affirming biological sex while condemning discrimination.
Following this public hearing, no further action has been taken by the Assembly committee. A similar bill was passed by the Legislature last session but was vetoed by Governor Evers.
For more information, contact David Earleywine at david@wisconsincatholic.org.
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