Trump’s Directive Aims to Prohibit Transgender Women and Girls from Competing in Female Sports
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has enacted an executive order aimed at prohibiting transgender girls and women from participating in female sports. Proponents argue that this initiative will reinstate fairness, while critics contend that it violates the rights of a small minority of athletes.
This order instructs the Department of Justice to prohibit transgender girls and women from competing in female school sports, based on Mr. Trump’s interpretation of Title IX, a statute addressing sex discrimination in education.
“The war on women’s sports is over,” Mr. Trump declared during a signing event, surrounded by numerous women and girls in support.
“My administration will not sit idly by while men defeat and overpower female athletes.”
The directive threatens to revoke federal funding for any educational institution that permits transgender women or girls to compete in sports designated for females.
It is expected to impact only a limited number of athletes.
As President Trump prepared to sign the ‘No Men in Women’s Sports’ executive order, the head of the National Collegiate Athletics Association informed a Senate committee in December that he was aware of fewer than ten transgender athletes among the 520,000 participating across 1,100 member institutions.
Despite the small number, the topic has resonated with voters, who have responded with enthusiastic applause whenever Mr. Trump has addressed bans on transgender athletes during his campaign rallies.
He has frequently aired television advertisements criticizing the inclusion of transgender women and girls in female sports.
Surveys indicate that a majority of Americans oppose transgender athletes competing in sports that correspond with their gender identity.
Additional Restrictions on Transgender Rights
This order is part of a series of executive orders from Trump aimed at limiting transgender rights, including one that seeks to end all federal assistance for healthcare supporting gender transition for those under 19 and another that prohibits transgender individuals from serving in the military.
These actions have encountered swift legal opposition.
On his first day in office on January 20, Mr. Trump signed an order mandating that government employees use the term “sex” and avoid “gender,” asserting that sex is an “immutable biological reality” that prevents any alteration of gender identity.
The discussion surrounding transgender participation in sports often revolves around fairness, with detractors claiming that individuals who have experienced male puberty possess inherent physical advantages.
Transgender advocates counter that there is minimal evidence indicating transgender women have an unfair edge.
This order overturns the Biden administration’s interpretation of Title IX, which contended that transgender individuals are shielded from discrimination based on sex, a stance that was halted by a federal judge in 2024.
More than 20 states have enacted laws prohibiting transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports, several of which are facing legal challenges.
The NCAA mandates that transgender women athletes adhere to testosterone limits on a sport-specific basis, although it does not monitor transgender participation in school sports.
Kelley Robinson, president of the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign, expressed that Mr. Trump’s measures would subject children to both harassment and discrimination.
“For countless students, participating in sports is about discovering a sense of belonging. We should strive for that for all children—not implement partisan policies that complicate their lives,” Ms. Robinson stated.
The upcoming executive order will also direct the Department of Homeland Security to examine visa applications from transgender women to ensure they align with their sex assigned at birth when entering the US to compete in women’s sports.
“If you’re entering the country and asserting you’re a woman, but you are biologically male competing against these women, we will review that for potential fraud,” a White House representative noted.
Additionally, it will direct the State Department to “demand changes” within the International Olympic Committee to prevent transgender athletes from competing.
The United States intends to wield “all our authority and our capability” to enforce the order in Olympic competitions held on US territory, according to the official.
The Summer 2028 Olympics are set to take place in Los Angeles.
