Kristi Noem’s Chief of Staff Actually Compares Trans Athletes to ‘Terrorism’

As South Dakota lawmakers debated the future of transgender athletes on sports teams Wednesday, Gov. Kristi Noem’s lawyer and chief of staff Mark Miller equated the issue to fighting terrorism. “It’s sort of like terrorism. You see it over there, and don’t want it to get to here,” Miller said. South Dakota has only had one trans athlete who wanted to compete in girls’ leagues. His comments came during a contentious debate over a bill that would require trans women and girls to play on sports teams that match the sex on their birth certificates. As reported by the Grand Forks Herald, the committee lawmakers eventually voted 8-2 along party lines in favor of the bill, which will now make its way to the House for a vote. Should it pass, it will then be given to Noem—who first proposed the bill—for a ratifying signature.