COLUMBUS, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—In a landmark decision, the Ohio Senate joined the House in overriding Governor DeWine’s veto of House Bill 68 on Wednesday afternoon. State Representative Riordan McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) applauded the decision, which will become law in 90 days.
The legislation aims to protect girls from competing with biological boys in athletic competitions. It also seeks to prevent children under the age of 18 from receiving experimental, life-altering medical treatments for gender dysphoria.
“I’m proud to stand with my colleagues and override the Governor on this tough, moral question of our day,” said McClain. “We have made it clear where the legislature stands on this issue.”
McClain emphasized that children battling gender dysphoria deserve love and compassion towards self-acceptance, rather than being funneled into permanent, life-altering medical treatment.
The representative also addressed the issue of competitive spaces for girls. “To me, it’s not complicated that we should protect our girls’ competitive spaces from the presence of biological boys who carry many physical advantages at large,” McClain added. He noted that Title IX was created to protect these spaces and is now being reinvented by some to destroy those same spaces.
The decision marks a significant moment in Ohio’s legislative history, with potential implications for the ongoing national conversation around gender, sports, and medical treatment for minors.