On Tuesday, Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) vetoed a Republican bill that passed through both chambers of the state legislature that would have banned high school transgender athletes from competing on teams that do not align with their biological sex. The veto is a major blow to women’s sports activists who have attempted to protect female athletes from unfair competition against biological males.

“I just vetoed Republicans’ anti-LGBTQ bill to ban trans and gender nonconforming kids from participating in school sports teams that align with their gender identity,” Gov. Evers wrote. “LGBTQ kids deserve our love and respect and support just like any other kid.”

Evers vowed that as long as he is governor of the state, he would not allow “radical policies targeting LGBTQ individuals and families and threatening LGBTQ folks’ everyday lives and their ability to be safe, valued, supported, and welcome being who they are.” Evers, currently serving his second term as governor, took office in 2019 and is up for reelection in 2026. He defeated his Republican opponent, Tim Michels, in 2022 by over three percent.

The only way forward to protect women’s sports in the Badger State is for the legislature to override Evers’ veto. Wisconsin Republicans currently have a majority in both the state House, with 64 of 99 seats, and the state Senate, with 22 of 33 seats. To override the governor’s veto, however, Republicans need a two-thirds majority, meaning a handful of Democrat lawmakers would have to side with the GOP against the Democrat governor.

Women’s sports activist Riley Gaines called for Wisconsin residents to take action by calling their state representatives. “If you live in WI, contact your state rep/senator. The veto can be overridden with a 2/3 majority vote like they did in Ohio recently. Public opinion/public outrage matters,” Gaines wrote. “This is Gov Evers 188[th] veto since taking office, the most vetoes issued by a Wisconsin governor in history. He couldn’t represent Wisconsin values/priorities any less if he tried. Vote this fool out.”

Gov. Evers’ veto of the legislation prevents Wisconsin from joining 20 other states that have also banned transgender athletes from competing in leagues that do not match their biological sex. Female athletes on every level, from high school to professional, should not have to compete with biological males. Evers’ ban is a slap in the face to Wisconsinites, and hopefully, voters will remember his veto when they go to the ballot box in November to elect a supermajority to the Wisconsin legislature and in 2026 to vote Evers out.