Last Updated:
Trump’s Executive Order: “The war on women’s sports is over,” Trump said at a signing ceremony
Trump Bans Transgender Athletes:
The order threatens to revoke federal funding from any school that permits transgender women or girls to compete in sports designated for females. (Image: Reuters)
Trump To Ban Transgender Athletes In Women’s Sports: US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order intended to ban transgender athletes from taking part in girls’ and women’s sports and said that the war on women’s sports was over.
The executive order instructs the Department of Justice to ensure that all government agencies enforce a ban on transgender girls and women participating in female school sports, based on Trump’s interpretation of Title IX, a law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education.
‘War On Women’s Sports Is Over’: Trump
At a signing ceremony, Trump declared, “The war on women’s sports is over,” surrounded by about 100 women and girls, many of whom wore sports jerseys and uniforms. He added, “My administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes.”
The order, which is expected to face legal challenges, threatens to revoke federal funding from any school that permits transgender women or girls to compete in sports designated for females. The measure is anticipated to impact only a small number of athletes. In December, the president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) stated that fewer than 10 transgender athletes were competing among the 530,000 athletes at 1,100 member schools.
The NCAA welcomed the order, seeing it as a necessary national standard amidst “a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court rulings.” The organization confirmed that it would revise its policy to align with the new directive, subject to further guidance from the administration. Currently, the NCAA requires transgender women athletes to meet testosterone limits specific to each sport.
The issue has resonated with voters, who responded with applause when Trump addressed the ban on transgender athletes during campaign rallies. He also ran television ads criticizing the inclusion of transgender women and girls in female sports. Polls show that a majority of Americans oppose transgender athletes competing in sports corresponding with their gender identity, and 25 Republican-led states have passed laws banning transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports.
Federal courts have mostly supported the right of transgender girls to compete in sports. A 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals decision blocked Idaho’s ban, and similar rulings in the 9th and 4th Circuits have stopped bans in West Virginia and Arizona from being enforced against specific plaintiffs. A federal judge in New Hampshire also blocked the state’s ban in relation to two plaintiffs.
However, in January, a federal judge in Kentucky blocked the Biden administration’s 2024 interpretation of Title IX, which protects transgender people from discrimination based on sex.
(With inputs from Reuters)
- Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
