Thu. March 4, 2021 8:00 AM by Gerald Farinas Madison, Wis. - Wisconsin Republicans are poised to ban transgender students from participating in school athletics matching their gender identities. Legislators have prepared two bills that argue girls are at a biological disadvantage when competing against male-to-female transgender persons—an argument debunked by various studies. The ban would cover sports not classified as co-ed in public elementary, middle, intermediate, high school, and college athletics, even in the University of Wisconsin system. It would cover sports in independent charter schools, as well. Author of the legislation, Wisconsin state Rep. Barb Dittrich claims that banning transgender athletes will even the playing field and uphold the Patsy Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act—popularly known as Title IX. The federal law prohibits discrimination in school programs based on sex.