Jan. 07, 2026
HARRISBURG – The “Dads Defending Daughters” legislators are expanding their efforts to protect women’s sports by launching a community support campaign.
The
Defending Our Daughters campaign invites all Pennsylvanians to sign the “I Believe” promise to support women and girls of all ages by ensuring fair competition and a level playing field in both team and individual sports.
Members of the Dads Defending Daughters group include Reps. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford), Eric Davanzo (R-Westmoreland), Joe D’Orsie (R-York), Jonathan Fritz (R-Susquehanna/Wayne) and Joe Hamm (R-Lycoming/Sullivan). They are being joined in the campaign by nearly two dozen fellow lawmakers who are vocal advocates for female athletes.
The dads group issued the following statement:
“The vast majority of Pennsylvanians, regardless of political affiliation, agree sports designated for girls and women should be played only by biological girls and women. It’s simple, sensible and essential that we act to ensure girls’ sports and the life lessons and scholarship opportunities they present are protected for female athletes. Since 2020 in Pennsylvania alone, girls have lost medals or placements to boys in at least 66 separate instances – from swimming to fencing to track. That is unacceptable.
“We are inviting all Pennsylvanians to join us in making the ‘I Believe’ promise to our collective daughters – the girls and women of all ages who work hard every day on fields and courts and in pools and stadiums across our Commonwealth.
“These hard-working athletes deserve better than what they are getting from the House Democrat majority, who refuse to allow bills that would simply prevent biological males from participating in women’s sports to be considered in committee. They know the public wants to protect girls, both in competition and in the locker room. They know a majority of legislators would vote to provide that protection. Yet, for reasons that defy logic, they do not want these bills to pass.
“Let’s come together and show the House majority they are failing our daughters and the majority of the people they represent by refusing to allow debate and consideration of these proposals. Let’s show our girl athletes they are NOT alone in this fight to protect their right to fair competition.”
The “I Believe” promise is available online for people to sign at
defendingdaughters.com. The lawmakers also have hard copies of the promise available in their local offices. The information will be shared with Gov. Josh Shapiro and House leaders to support action on the issue this year.
So far this session, majority House Democrats have avoided votes on three different bills aimed at protecting women’s sports.
Senate Bill 9, which passed the Senate with bipartisan support in May, was initially – and appropriately – referred to the House Education Committee. To avoid a discharge resolution, the bill was re-referred to the Health Committee and is now in the Judiciary Committee.
House Bills 158 and
1849 were also initially referred to the Education Committee but were re-referred to Judiciary in December, also to avoid discharge resolutions that would force a vote on the bills.
Editor’s Note: A graphic of the promise is attached.
Representative Clint Owlett
68th District
Representative Eric Davanzo
58th District
Representative Joe D’Orsie
47th District
Representative Jonathan Fritz
111th District
Representative Joe Hamm
84th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media contacts:
Owlett: Patricia Hippler, phippler@pahousegop.com
Davanzo: Jordan Frei, jfrei@pahousegop.com
D’Orsie, Fritz: Melissa Fox, mefox@pahousegop.com
Hamm: Kalie Morrow, kmorrow@pahousegop.com