LGBTQ+ advocates rally at Georgia Capitol as transgender athlete ban reintroduced

ATLANTA – LGBTQ+ community members and their allies rallied at Liberty Plaza outside the Georgia State Capitol on Monday as state lawmakers began the 2025 legislative session. Demonstrators voiced their opposition to proposed legislation targeting transgender youth, which Republican lawmakers are prioritizing after similar efforts failed last year.

“We will show up, we will show out. We will not let this happen silently,” one protester declared, drawing cheers from the crowd.

What is Senate Bill 1?

At the center of the controversy is Senate Bill 1, introduced by Republican Sen. Greg Dolezal of Cumming, which would ban transgender girls and women from competing in female sports at any publicly funded institution, including K-12 schools and state universities.

“It’s a good bill for the protection of women,” Dolezal said. “Senate Bill 1 ensures that we have a fair playing field in women’s sports by ensuring that only women are allowed to participate in women’s sports.”

Is SB 1 veiled discrimination?

Critics, however, have called the measure discriminatory and harmful.

Janice Darling, a parent of a transgender boy and a vocal trans rights advocate, described the legislation as an attack on vulnerable youth.

“These people are targeting trans children because they identified it as a winning issue,” Darling said. “I think it’s discriminatory, and I think it’s going to hurt the children. It’s a terrible bill.”

Jeff Graham, executive director of LGBTQ advocacy group Georgia Equality, echoed those sentiments, calling the proposal unnecessary.

“This is institutional bullying of children,” Graham said. “This is a solution in search of a problem. The problem simply does not exist.”

When asked about such criticisms, Dolezal denied the bill unfairly targets trans students. “Our bill doesn’t target anyone. It simply tries to ensure we have a fair and safe playing field for women,” he said.

Georgia’s previous anti-transgender bills

The legislation comes after two similar anti-transgender bills cleared the Georgia Senate last year but failed to pass the House. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has pledged to prioritize transgender bans in women’s sports during the current session.

“This fight is hard, it will continue to be hard, and we will have to continue to do this together,” said a rally speaker, urging supporters to remain vigilant.

For many advocates, the renewed push for legislation feels personal. Darling stressed the broader impact on marginalized youth.

“You’re really hurting a set of vulnerable people,” she said.

As the debate heats up, both sides are preparing for a contentious fight over the rights of transgender youth under the Gold Dome.