Advocates Say A Proposed Change To Title IX Rules Are A "Betrayal" To Trans Rights And Could Bar Trans Athletes From Competitive Sports

"As states across the country consider blocking trans athletes from participating in school sports - and those bans are challenged in court - the Education Department said it aimed to provide clarity for schools and families and underscored that blanket bans on transgender student-athletes would jeopardize institutions and educational programs that receive federal funding under Title IX, which protections against sex discrimination."

"The Education Department said that the reasoning behind the proposed change to Title IX regulations was to "develop team eligibility criteria that serve important education objectives such as ensuring fairness in competition or preventing sports-related injury." The criteria used to determine the eligibility of a trans athlete would vary by sport, the level of competition, and the education level, but the regulations say they should "minimize harms" to transgender students."

"The Biden administration proposed new regulations that would prohibit schools from totally banning transgender athletes from participating in sports but would allow schools to bar some trans players in competitive high school and college sports. The proposal, which was met with mixed reactions from both transgender activists and Republican legislators, came shortly after the Supreme Court ruled to allow a 12-year-old trans girl to continue competing in track and cross-country as a challenge to West Virginia's ban makes its way through the courts."

The Biden administration proposed regulations preventing total bans on transgender athletes while allowing schools to restrict some trans players in competitive high school and college sports. The Education Department warned that blanket bans could jeopardize Title IX-funded institutions and said eligibility criteria should serve educational objectives like fairness and injury prevention. Criteria would vary by sport, competition level, and education level and should minimize harms to transgender students. The proposal followed a Supreme Court decision allowing a 12-year-old trans girl to compete and coincides with 20 states imposing bans; advocates say the guidance is insufficient.

Read at BuzzFeed News