Female athletes, women's sports advocates speak on Capitol Hill as trans athlete issue hovers over midterms

Female athletes and women’s sports advocates descended on Capitol Hill Wednesday to tell lawmakers how policies allowing biological males to compete in female athletics have affected their safety, privacy and athletic opportunities, while warning that the issue could follow candidates into the midterm elections.

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled, "Standing Up for Women in Sports: Ensuring Opportunity, Fairness and Safety for Female Athletes." The committee heard testimony from three witnesses: Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) co-founder Kim Jones; Carly Smolak, a former professional soccer player and Australian rules football player; and attorney William Bock III, who previously served as general counsel for the U.S.

Anti-Doping Agency.

Democrats did not invite a witness of their own.

Ranking member Sen.

Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen.

Amy Klobuchar , D-Minn., were the only Democrats who attended, and both left within the first hour.

Durbin declined to question the witnesses.

Jones, whose daughter competed against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas , told OutKick in an exclusive interview that the Democrats’ absence made the athletes and advocates feel dismissed.

AMERICANS CLASH OVER TRANSGENDER ATHLETES AS DEBATE HEATS UP: ‘JUST GETTING OUTRAGEOUS' "It felt dismissive of women, of our concerns, of the right for young girls to expect to be treated fairly in the United States," Jones said.

"For Democrats to say that we’re — I believe, you know, are my neighbors and friends — to actively say we’re not going to concern ourselves about what young girls and even all the way up through older women have been put through.

"I mean, it’s misogynistic, and it is incredibly disappointing.

I really hope that they change course and decide that the voices of women who have been hurt and shamed are important enough to listen to." Durbin used his opening remarks to argue that the hearing was ignoring other issues facing children and female athletes, including affordability, artificial intelligence, children’s cellphone use and declining trust in government.

He also raised concerns that efforts to enforce sex-based sports categories could result in female athletes undergoing invasive inspections.