Wisconsin Gov. Evers vetoes transgender high school athletics ban, decries "radical policies targeting LGBTQ"

Wisconsin's governor vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have banned high school transgender athletes from competing on teams that align with their gender identity, promising he would veto "any bill that makes Wisconsin a less safe, less inclusive, and less welcoming place for LGBTQ people and kids."

The bill had passed the Republican-controlled Legislature despite Evers vowing he would veto it from the moment it was introduced. While Democrats did not have the votes to stop its passage in the Legislature, now Republicans don't have the votes needed to override the veto.

Evers said in his veto message that this type of legislation "harms LGBTQ Wisconsinites' and kids' mental health, emboldens anti-LGBTQ harassment, bullying, and violence, and threatens the safety and dignity of LGBTQ Wisconsinites, especially our LGBTQ kids."