The White House has defended its proposed changes to Title IX rules, which would allow transgender students to participate in school sports based on their gender identity, regardless of biological sex.
The changes have been met with criticism from Republicans, who argue that the changes would harm women’s sports by allowing biological males who identify as female to compete against biological females.
In a press release, the White House stated that the proposed changes would provide clarity for students, parents, and coaches on when and how transgender students can participate in school sports while affirming that policies violate Title IX when they categorically ban transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
The White House argues that participation in school athletics provides valuable physical, social, academic, and mental health benefits to students and that every student should have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination.
The proposed changes come after two years of outreach to stakeholders to develop the proposed rule, during which the Department of Education heard repeatedly that many schools, students, parents, and coaches face uncertainty about when and how transgender students can participate in school sports, particularly because some states have chosen to adopt new laws and policies on athletics participation that target transgender students.
The changes to Title IX have garnered criticism from those who argue that biological males competing in female sports is unfair to biological females and could potentially harm the safety and fairness of women’s sports.
However, others argue that transgender individuals should have the right to compete on a team that aligns with their gender identity to promote inclusivity and fairness.
