BUFFALO, N.Y. — Some Western New York high school athletes are worried about how policy changes may affect the way their sport is played, whether or not to allow trans women or men to compete in high school sports. Others say there is nothing to worry about.
Proposition 1 New York is also known as New York Equal Rights amendment. This proposition would harden abortion rights in the the state constitution, but also give more protections against discrimination against woman and LGBT+ people.
Some fear it would pave the way for trans athletes in women's sports.
Local high school athletes argue that trans athletes, specifically trans girls and women, have unfair competitive advantages in sports and that it is necessary to protect children from making transition-related decisions they may later regret.
Others argue measures are discriminatory and pose a particular risk to trans youth.
"Treating everybody with the same rules and being fair are two different things. You have to look at safety factors. You have to look at how does it impact the whole," Tiffany Ellis, former athlete and opposes PROP 1.
"It's trying to take laws that we already and not grant more new protections but simply codify those protections that we already have in other laws," Ronald Piaseczny, president of Niagara Pride and supports PROP 1.
The proposal asks voters whether they support or oppose adding language to the constitution that people cannot be denied rights based on their "race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed, religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, reproductive healthcare and autonomy."
A "yes" vote puts these protections against discrimination in the New York state constitution.
A "no" vote leaves these protections out of the constitution.
