Brown Calls on Lawrence County Residents to Defend Our Daughters, Protect Female Athletes

January 8, 2026

HARRISBURG – Continuing her advocacy for fairness in women’s sports, Rep. Marla Brown (R-Lawrence) is inviting people to join the “Defending Our Daughters” campaign to show support for the Commonwealth’s female athletes.

All Pennsylvanians are invited to sign the “I Believe” promise to highlight the rights of girls to have a safe, fair and equal playing field; to compete to win games, championships and titles; to earn scholarships; and to have private locker rooms spaces, without males being present. 

The promise also reinforces the shared responsibility of all Pennsylvanians, and specifically the state’s leaders, to get off the sidelines to protect and defend female athletes. 

“Girls deserve a level playing field – period,” said Brown. “Girls should never have to sacrifice fairness, safety or opportunity because adults refused to act. The ‘I Believe’ promise is a call to action for parents, athletes and lawmakers. Protecting women’s sports should not be controversial, and it’s time for leaders in Harrisburg to stop avoiding votes and start standing up for our daughters.”

The “I Believe” promise is available online for people to sign at defendingdaughters.com. Hard copies are also available in Brown’s office, located at 28 N. Mill St., New Castle. 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.