ND governor signs bills to protect women's sports
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Christiana Kiefer regarding Gov. Doug Burgum’s signing Tuesday of HB 1249 and HB 1489, two bills that together protect athletic opportunities for female athletes from grade school to college by ensuring they are not forced to compete against males playing on women’s sports teams:
“Girls deserve equal opportunities to experience the thrill of victory. We commend North Dakota for becoming the twenty-first state to ensure women and girls can compete on a level playing field. As we continue to witness increasing incidents nationwide of males dominating girls’ athletic competitions, it’s imperative to affirm that biology, not identity, is what matters in athletics. We are grateful to Gov. Burgum, Rep. Ben Koppelman, and the North Dakota Legislature for enacting these critical protections. Thanks to their strong stand, North Dakota’s female athletes from grade school to college will not face the losses that come with allowing males to compete in women’s sports.”
- Pronunciation guide: Kiefer (KEE’-fer)
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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ABOUT Christiana Kiefer
Christiana Kiefer serves as senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, where she is a key member of the Center for Conscience Initiatives. Since joining ADF in 2012, Kiefer has worked to protect women's and girls' sports and has defended the bodily privacy rights of students. She has also worked to protect the constitutionally protected freedom of churches, Christian schools, and Christian ministries to exercise their faith without government interference. Kiefer earned her J.D. in 2010 from Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy, where she graduated first in her class and served as a teaching assistant in criminal law. Also in 2010, Kiefer completed the ADF leadership development program to become a Blackstone Fellow. She is admitted to the state bar of California, the U.S. Supreme Court, and numerous federal district and appellate courts.