Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Transgender Athletes from Female Sports
Trump Declares “The War on Women’s Sports is Over”
Embed from Getty ImagesOn National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, issued an executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. Trump announced at the signing ceremony, “With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over.”
Several politicians and female athletes attended the event, including former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, who has been a vocal proponent of limiting transgender athletes from participating in female sports.
A Key Issue in Trump’s 2024 Campaign
Embed from Getty ImagesTrump during the 2024 presidential election made transgender participation in women’s sports a featured talking point. Echoing a favorite conservative cause, his position was embraced widely by conservative voters, and he took every opportunity to attack his Democratic rival Kamala Harris for her support for transgender rights. Many Republicans sought to frame the issue as a means of protecting women’s sports and winning the support of voters.
White House Justification: “Upholding Title IX”
Embed from Getty ImagesAccording to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the executive order “upholds the promise of Title IX,” the 1972 legislation that prohibits discrimination based on sex in education. The order directs the Department of Education to take enforcement actions against schools and athletic associations that allow transgender athletes to compete in female sports, potentially withholding federal funding from non-compliant institutions.
Biden Administration’s Previous Title IX Expansion
Under President Joe Biden, Title IX protections were broadened to include discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Republicans criticized the move, arguing it allowed transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports, creating competitive advantages for male athletes.
UN Report Cites Nearly 900 Medals Won by Trans Athletes
A recent United Nations report found that biological males have claimed nearly 900 medals in women’s sports. The special rapporteur, Reem Alsalem, said, “The displacement of the female sports category by a mixed-sex category has led to an increasing number of female athletes losing opportunities, including medals, when competing against males.”
Public Opinion and Legislative Impact
During his campaign, Trump emphasized what he characterized as broad popular animosity to transgender players playing women’s sports. His campaign did not name specific policy steps, but the executive order now lays out federal rules for how restrictions should be enforced.
The order empowers the Department of Education to levy fines on schools that permit the participation of transgender athletes, on the grounds that such policies violate Title IX. Schools that fail to comply may lose federal funding.
Visa Restrictions for Transgender Athletes
As well as domestic restrictions, Trump also said Kristi Noem, the director of the Department of Homeland Security, would enact a policy refusing visa applications from transgender athletes wanting to compete in the United States under a female category.
Ongoing Controversy in Women’s Sports
The issue of transgender athletes became high-profile in 2022 when Lia Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I championship. This led to a national debate about fairness in women’s sports, with critics asserting that transgender women have physiological advantages over biological females.
Trump’s new executive order is one of the most substantial federal actions that can be taken on that front and will almost certainly be subject to legal challenges from LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations and civil rights groups.