“They might miss out on playing for this team or that team. Boy, that…sounds like selfishness.” – Rep. Dave Considine

Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) indicated that he believes girls just need to “work harder” if they don’t like losing to biological boys on the athletic field.

Considine also said parents who are concerned that their girls aren’t able to compete against biological boys in sports are “selfish.”

Dave Considine made the comments on October 12, 2023, as Republicans in the Wisconsin state Assembly passed a bill to ensure a level playing field for girls and young women by requiring that people compete on teams that match their biological gender at birth. Republicans also passed a bill banning castration, sterilization, and irreversible hormone treatments of transgender minors. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has pledged to veto both.

A Democrat, Dave Considine is a former goat farmer and special education teacher.

Dave Considine Video

Watch:

Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) says if parents are worried about their daughters missing out on scholarships or making a team in college because there are biological boys on their team – then they're just selfish. pic.twitter.com/OLoKQTPngB

— MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) October 12, 2023

“The best we got was, well, some parents are concerned that their daughter might miss out on a scholarship,” Dave Considine said. “They might miss out on playing for this team or that team. Boy, that…sounds like selfishness. I’m sorry to label it that way but that sounds like what it is to me. I’m only worried about myself, I’m not worried about building the team and having my school have a powerful team.”

Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) says if biological girls don’t like losing to biological boys in girls sports, then they need to try harder. pic.twitter.com/x8yuxXRy73

— MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) October 12, 2023

“And my granddaughter who is playing college sports, I asked her about this when we had this two years ago, and she said you know what, if a trans woman was competing against me in the sport then that just means if that person is better than me, I need to work harder,” Considine also said.

Wisconsin State Rep Dave Considine (D) during a debate on a bill to ban boys from playing in girl’s sports, says if a boy is beating a girl, it means he’s better than her and she just needs to work harder pic.twitter.com/QJvgU59CwU

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 13, 2023

The reaction on social media was brutal. “Me to Wisconsin State Rep. Dave Considine: “Please go apologize to the trees. You’re wasting the oxygen they’re producing,” wrote one person on X.

On Facebook, Dave Considine continued his rant, writing, “Excluding trans athletes from participating in sports is not what kids want. Kids want to play together. The issue we are talking about is an adult problem.”

About Dave Considine

According to Ballotpedia, Dave Considine (Democratic Party) is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing District 81. He assumed office on January 5, 2015. His current term ends on January 6, 2025.

Dave Considine ran for re-election to the Wisconsin State Assembly to represent District 81. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

According to Dave Considine’s legislative website, He served as a teacher at Jack Young Middle School in the Baraboo School District for 29 years, retiring in 2014 to run for Wisconsin State Assembly.  He is currently in his third term as the Wisconsin State Representative for the 81st District.

Dave Considine and his wife Gretchen have lived in the Baraboo Bluffs and the Town of Caledonia, Wisconsin for over 40 years.  They have raised five children on their farm, and are now enjoying sharing it with their twelve grandchildren.  In addition to owning and maintaining their farm as conservation land, they have been active community members in Baraboo and the surrounding area for many years.

Dave Considine was born in Janesville and raised in North Prairie, Wisconsin.  After attending Mukwonago High School, Dave earned his Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Considine holds a Master of Arts in Education from Viterbo University.

As an educator, association leader, steward of the land, outdoorsman, hunter, trainer in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, nationally recognized dairy goat judge, singer, and track coach, Dave has experience with a wide variety of areas and interests.