Ron DeSantis.Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty
Florida Gov.Ron DeSantisfinds himself again mired in controversy as his state weighs a recommendation to collect data on female athletes' menstrual cycles. And while DeSantis himself didn’t propose the recommendation, critics are still decrying the proposal, which they allege could be weaponized against female or transgender athletes.
The Miami Heraldreports that, currently in the state, an “optional” question about menstrual cycles is included on a physical form given to female high school athletes. But a new recommendation advises mandating that female athletes answer the question — or, if not, jeopardize their participation in sports.
The AP reports that the recommendation proposes including “four mandatory questions about menstruation, including if the student has ever had a period, the age they had their first period, the date of their most recent period and how many periods they’ve had in the past year.”
But while the governor doesn’t appoint any members of the association’s board, he did handpick the education commissioner who does.
Information about female athletes' menstrual cycles could be weaponized, critics say — used to determine if any teenaged athletes have undergone an abortion, had a miscarriage, or if some athletes are transgender.
The spokesperson for the FHSAA has denied that the proposed mandate comes in response to the transgender athlete ban, telling the AP: “There is absolutely no support of the argument that their recommendation is aimed towards addressing an individual group of people.”
Not all are convinced, though. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten took toTwitterto call the move “dystopian” and “creepy,” writing: “Forcing girls to detail their menstruation to their schools, to the state, should scare everyone.”
Other state education departments have similar questions on their athlete forms, as DeSantis spokesperson Jeremy Redfernnoted on Twitter— though those forms are meant to be filled out in conjunction with physicians.
And that, say critics, reveals a critical difference to the FHSAA’s proposed form: were the questions to be mandated in Florida, the information about a teenaged athlete’s menstrual cycle wouldn’t be entrusted to medical professionals, but to schools themselves.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.
In the past and throughout the pandemic, DeSantis attempted to block local leaders' authority to issue mask mandates in municipalities throughout the state andissued an orderbarring local school districts from requiring students to wear masks. He hasalso fought cruise ship companiesthat sought to require their passengers be vaccinated against the virus.
Last June, DeSantis issued an executive order banning critical race theory in public schools. And perhaps most controversially, he signed into law the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prohibits Florida educators from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity subjects with students in kindergarten up to third grade.
source: people.com
