Pillen’s Playbook: Scoring Points for Common Sense
Why Men Are Men, Women Are Women, and Fairness Wins
Governor Jim Pillen deserves heartfelt praise for his steadfast leadership in signing the Stand With Women Act (LB 89) into law on June 4, 2025. This legislation, requiring athletes in K-12 and college sports to compete based on their biological sex, is a triumph of common sense and scientific truth. Men are men, and women are women—a reality grounded in the unchangeable design of biology. By ensuring that women’s sports remain reserved for biological females, Pillen has protected fairness, safety, and opportunity for Nebraska’s female athletes, honoring the distinct gifts God has given to each sex.
Science unequivocally supports this stance: biological males possess inherent physical advantages—greater muscle mass, bone density, and testosterone levels—that can significantly alter competitive outcomes in women’s sports. These differences, established through God’s creation of male and female (Genesis 1:27, “So God created mankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them”), are not diminished by personal identity. Allowing biological males to compete in female categories risks undermining the integrity of women’s sports, potentially sidelining dedicated female athletes who deserve a fair chance to excel. Pillen’s decision upholds the spirit of Title IX, ensuring that Nebraska’s daughters can compete on a level playing field.
Critics who label this law an “attack on trans kids” are not only mistaken but also recklessly divisive. This policy is not about rejecting anyone’s worth—it’s about preserving fairness based on biological reality. The Bible calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31), and this love includes speaking truth with compassion. The Nebraska School Activities Association notes that fewer than 10 transgender students have sought to participate in sports over the past decade, a small number compared to the thousands of female athletes whose opportunities are at stake. To frame this law as targeting vulnerable youth is to twist a practical issue into a culture war battle, ignoring the real harm faced by female athletes when biological males dominate their competitions. Such critiques exploit empathy to obscure reason, dismissing the legitimate concerns of parents, coaches, and athletes.
Tragically, this issue has been swept into the culture war, where clarity is drowned out by polarization. The Stand With Women Act is not a rejection of love but a defense of justice. Transgender individuals, like all people, are made in God’s image and deserve respect, but love does not mean erasing distinctions that God Himself established. Governor Pillen’s courage in navigating this issue reflects a commitment to biblical truth and practical wisdom.
Nebraska now stands with over two dozen states that prioritize biological reality in sports, joining a national movement rooted in fairness. Critics should move beyond inflammatory rhetoric and engage in solutions that honor both biblical truth and love. Governor Pillen has shown bold leadership, and Nebraska’s female athletes will reap the benefits of his stand for generations.