As a former college swimmer who faced challenges against male competitors, I clearly understand the stakes in protecting women’s sports. The significance of scholarships, records, and opportunities provided by Title IX hangs in the balance. What happened in Georgia is a wake-up call, and by 2026, the safety of every girl in the state could be compromised.
Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, has repeatedly let women and girls down when it counted.
Let’s begin with sports. Ossoff had three significant opportunities to advocate for female athletes—three chances to affirm that women’s sports should be for women. He voted against this notion on all three occasions.
In March 2025, he voted against protecting women and girls through the Sports Act. This legislation aimed to reinforce that under Title IX, women’s sports are intended for those defined biologically as female. It was a straightforward, sensible bill designed to uphold the original goals of the law.
In March 2024, Ossoff voted to repeal an amendment that would have barred federal funding for schools allowing male athletes into girls’ programs.
Earlier, in March 2021, he also opposed an amendment that would restrict schools from classifying male athletes as female.
So, there were these three moments—Ossoff decided against standing up for women each time.
But there’s more. He has also attempted to undermine Georgia’s state protections by supporting the federal Equality Act multiple times, including co-sponsoring it in 2021 and 2023, as well as campaigning for it in 2020. This proposed legislation seeks to redefine sex to encompass gender identity within federal civil rights law, without any exclusions for sports. Legal experts and elite female athletes—many who don’t identify as conservatives—caution that this could result in coed competitions, lost chances, and various safety issues.
The Equality Act isn’t a compromise; it’s a federal mandate that strips Georgia of its ability to safeguard its girls.
Senator Ossoff’s actions reach beyond sports, too. He has pushed for legislation that would dictate restroom and locker room access based on gender identity. Essentially, this means supporting a policy forcing daughters to change with men, showing no regard for privacy or safety.
He backs policies that suggest that a woman’s discomfort or fear is less significant than a man’s feelings, undermining women’s safety, including that of sexual assault survivors.
Think for a moment about a woman escaping an abusive situation, finding refuge in a domestic violence shelter with her children. Such individuals deserve dignity and privacy, and yet Ossoff has supported initiatives that mandate these shelters to accept men identifying as women. This approach disregards the very real trauma these survivors face and could potentially push them back to danger—this is not compassion; it’s a guise of progress that borders on cruelty.
Religious freedom is also at stake. Ossoff has proposed a bill that would override the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, imposing requirements on Christian hospitals in Georgia to perform surgeries for transgender individuals, regardless of their beliefs.
When looking at these positions collectively, the pattern becomes alarmingly clear. Jon Ossoff appears to favor federal intervention over the rights of Georgia families regarding women’s sports and facilities. While Georgia strives for fairness, he seems intent on federalizing and dismantling those efforts.
Some argue that fairness can be maintained through hormone regulations and individual exceptions, but that doesn’t entirely address the issue.
I’ve lived these realities. Women are too often pressured to remain silent, to ignore the unsettling instinct against undressing next to a man without consent, and to yield opportunities to accommodate others’ feelings. Title IX was not meant to cause women to disappear while resolving conflicts; it was intended to ensure we are acknowledged.
Georgia is bravely taking the lead. Schools in the state can keep girls’ teams strictly for girls. There may soon be recognition from Georgia courts that this fundamental truth holds nationwide significance. Georgia senators should be working to protect, not obstruct.
Senator Ossoff had ample chances to support Georgia’s women and girls. He opted for political strategy—likely influenced by radical factions in his party—over the interests of our daughters, including his own. With the Supreme Court considering the state’s right to uphold women’s sports, it’s time for Georgia’s senators to align their actions accordingly. It might be time for a real leader to send Jon Ossoff home.
