Federal Delegation Backs 'Fairness for Girls' in Sports Ballot Initiative
by Olivia White
LINCOLN — A ballot initiative effort launched Monday to “permanently enshrine protections for girls’ sports” by restricting biological males from participating in girls’ sports in the Nebraska Constitution. The effort is backed by most of Nebraska’s federal delegation.
Fairness for Girls, the proposed Nebraska constitutional amendment, aims to establish constitutional protections for sex-separated athletics, ensuring equal access to athletic opportunities for females.
The Fairness for Girls Committee is made up of three Nebraskans: Rob Schafer, a University of Nebraska Regent and Beatrice attorney; Julie Slama, a former state Senator and Dunbar attorney; and Elizabeth Nunnally, a non-profit advocacy coordinator. Slama serves as the committee’s spokesperson.
“At the core of this initiative is common sense,” Slama said. “As a mom and former athlete, I’m committed to protecting the same opportunities that I enjoyed growing up for future generations. Women have fought for decades for fair opportunities in athletics, and I’m not going to sit silently when those are under threat.”
A statute was passed in 2025 to protect girls’ sports, but Slama said it has become “a political football” and needs an amendment to uphold these protections.
“This would keep them safe from radical leftists in Lincoln who could make this a bargaining chip,” Slama said.
Ten percent of registered voters in Nebraska must sign the initiative in order for it to qualify for the November 2026 ballot. The deadline to accomplish this is in July. Fairness for Girls will be hosting signing events across the state in order to submit their signatures.
When asked if the group had the resources to make the ballot, Slama said, “We certainly hope that we have the resources necessary to get this on the ballot. We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive reception from voters so far.”
Nebraska’s federal delegation spoke out in support of the bill on Monday. Congressman Adrian Smith put out a statement on the petition, stating he believed that every athlete deserves the chance to compete against their peers on a level playing field.
“I am proud to support the Fairness for Girls ballot initiative to protect the integrity of women’s and girls’ sports and ensure female athletes aren’t put at a disadvantage,” Smith said.
Congressman Mike Flood said that Nebraska’s state constitution should include this “commonsense step that will protect future generations of young Nebraskans for years to come.”
Representative Don Bacon said he also supports the ballot initiative to protect female sports.
“My sister was an all-state athlete and played college basketball and lacrosse,” Bacon said. “Her jersey is retired at Clarkson College in Potsdam, New York. It is not fair to let biological males play in female sports. Women’s athletics have come a long way, and we should not retreat.”
Senator Pete Ricketts said Nebraska is a national leader in supporting women’s and girls’ sports, and this ballot initiative is a common-sense step to protect female athletes’ safety and opportunities.
“I look forward to supporting this initiative to keep the playing field level for women and girls across our state,” Ricketts said.
Senator Deb Fischer was the only member of the federal delegation not to comment on the initiative.
In 2025, Nebraska passed the “Stand With Women Act,” which required athletes to participate on sports teams that correspond to their biological sex. The bill was opposed by every Democratic state senator in the Unicameral and supported by every Republican state senator.
Megan Hunt, a progressive state senator from Omaha, put out a statement on Twitter stating that she believes the new ballot initiative is a “manufactured political panic.”
“People who are spending this much time policing other people’s children might consider focusing on their own families instead,” Hunt wrote. “My focus is making sure every Nebraska kid can go to school, play sports, and feel safe in their community.”
The proposed amendment says schools must designate each athletic team or sport as one of the following based on biological sex: males, men or boys; females, women or girls; or coed or mixed. Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex.
“We’ve all seen girls lose opportunities for scholarships, medals, and advancement across the country thanks to boys and men exploiting the system,” Slama said. “Fairness for Girls ensures our sisters, daughters, and granddaughters will have a fair playing field for decades to come.”
— Olivia White is a freelance reporter with The Plains Sentinel. She previously was a staff writer for The Northside Sun.
