On Tuesday, May 6, three Democrats in the NY state Senate Education Committee broke from party lines to advance a bill that would let schools ban boys from girls’ sports teams.

This bill, S460, could not have passed without bipartisan support. Luckily, three Democratic state Senators—Monica Martinez, Siela Bynoe, and Joseph Addabbo—voted to advance it, even as their colleagues called the bill “mean-spirited and misguided.”

You can watch a recording of the meeting where the bill was discussed here.

This heartening return to sanity represents a break from elitist ideology to reflect the will of their constituents. In a New York Times/IPSOS poll conducted from January 2-10, 2025, 79% of those polled, including 67% of Democrats, opposed inclusion of male athletes who “identify as female” in women’s sports.

Large, well-funded NGOs have created and spread so many lies to hide the simple fact that men and women have different bodies, we compiled a Myth vs. Fact resource page to help clear up the misinformation about women’s sports. Feel free to read it for inspiration.

A vote to advance, by itself, does not indicate whether these three state Senators support the measure. Yet refusing to block it opens them up to heavy social shaming by progressives who can’t afford to lose on this front. Kind words of support will go a long way toward counteracting the anti-woman bullying holding the party back.

Contact Martinez, Bynoe, and Addabbo to voice your support!

Here is the contact information for the state Senators who voted to advance S460:

Senator Monica Martinez
631-341-7111
martinez@nysenate.gov

Senator Siela Bynoe
516-739-1700
bynoe@nysenate.gov

Senator Joseph Addabbo
718-497-1630
addabbo@nysenate.gov

We’ve written some sample text to get you started, but including personal details helps strengthen your message even more. Get creative with it!

Dear [state Senator],

I am [your constituent, a lifelong Democrat, a feminist, a lesbian, part of a grassroots women’s rights group], writing to thank you for letting S460 advance.

You will hear your colleagues—and many others—tell you this is an ‘LGBTQ’ issue. It isn’t. It’s a women’s rights issue, involving the very rights Title IX was enacted to guarantee.

Your constituents see that. We’ve watched boys come first in girls’ track meets 20 seconds before their female competitors could catch up. We watched a man punch a woman in the face during the Olympics and be cheered for it. We’ve seen the intense shaming and backlash for daring to stand up for women and girls, and some of us have even taken the hit ourselves for speaking out. We know it’s not rare, not fair, and robs women and girls of their dignity and a shot at fair competition.

No matter what you’re hearing, this is an 80/20 issue. A poll conducted by the New York Times this January showed that 79% of Americans, including 67% of Democrats, were against letting men play in women’s sports. The loud contingent of anti-woman activists does not speak for all of us.

It’s not liberal, leftist, or progressive to roll back women’s rights. I understand what it takes to step a toe out of line and uphold the values the Democratic party claims to have. On behalf of the women and girls of New York, thank you for standing for what is right, good, and true.

Sincerely,
[Your name]