House Bill No. 1225
Our Position: Support
Brief Description:
The South Dakota Catholic Conference supports the passage of House Bill 1225. Like Senate Bill 49, which was voted down in the Senate Education committee January 24, HB 1225 would void the South Dakota High School Activities Association “transgender procedure” of 2015, which permits youth to compete on athletic teams other than the one in accord with the child’s sex. HB 1225 would align state law with Natural Law, upholding and respecting the nature of God’s creation. Men and women are created by God with equal dignity. Men and women also have fixed differences, not conditioned on one’s inner experience, that must be respected. Our civil laws must reflect this truth. In the name of a more “just society,” the complementarity of men and women has been called into question as a God-given reality. However, justice is inseparable from fundamental truths. All persons, and especially the young, ought to be guided to accept their humanity, whether male or female, as made in the image and likeness of God. The bishops of South Dakota make clear, as they have in the past, that they and their diocesan and parish staffs wish to be pastorally present to anyone who might be experiencing gender dysphoria. They recognize the call to do so while also being present to all other youth in their formative years who participate in sports and other activities. HB 1225 would protect the rights and dignity of all people.
