New York Senators Vote Against Protecting Women’s Sports and Locker Rooms

On March 3, 2025, the United States Senate voted on a motion to advance S.9, a bill designed to protect the integrity of women’s sports and locker rooms by ensuring that only biological females could compete in girls’ and women’s sports under Title IX. The bill also sought to prevent biological males from using female-designated locker rooms and other private spaces in schools and public institutions.

Despite growing public concern over fairness in women’s athletics, the motion failed 51-45, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance. The rejection of this bill sends a clear message about where many lawmakers stand on an issue that directly impacts the safety, privacy, and opportunities of female athletes across the country.

New York’s Role in the Vote

Both of New York’s Democratic Senators, Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, voted against advancing the bill, effectively siding with activists who believe that gender identity should trump biological reality in sports and locker rooms. By opposing this measure, they rejected a proposal aimed at restoring fairness in female sports and ensuring that young women do not have to share intimate spaces with biological males.

Schumer and Gillibrand’s votes are in line with the progressive wing of their party, which has consistently opposed efforts to protect women’s spaces from policies that allow biological males to compete against female athletes. Their stance mirrors the broader Democratic position, which prioritizes gender ideology over common sense protections for women and girls.

What’s at Stake?

The failure of this motion means that female athletes in New York and across the country will continue to face unfair competition from biological males in sports ranging from high school track to college swimming. It also means that schools and institutions cannot enforce biologically based boundaries in locker rooms and other intimate spaces, further eroding the privacy and dignity of female students.

Despite the Senate’s failure to advance this bill, the issue is far from settled. As public awareness grows and more female athletes speak out, the push to restore fairness in women’s sports will likely continue. Voters who believe in protecting biological reality, athletic fairness, and women’s privacy should take note of how their senators voted—and hold them accountable in future elections.