Could Trump Kick Trans Athletes Out of School Sports?

Remember when former President Trump wanted to keep trans athletes out of some school sports? He made it clear through his words and picks, like campaign surrogates. For instance, at an event with Fox News, Trump said, “The president bans it. You just don’t let it happen. Not a big deal. ” This got people thinking: Could Trump really prevent trans athletes from playing on teams that match their gender identity? Mainly, he seemed worried about trans girls in K-12 sports, but college athletes could also be impacted. How might he do it? The short answer is yes. Trump could use his power to change how civil rights and nondiscrimination protections for trans students are enforced. These protections were put in place by the Biden administration under Title IX, a law meant to fight gender discrimination in education. The executive branch has a lot of say here. They can choose what counts as discrimination. The Biden administration thought that “discrimination on the basis of sex” included discrimination against trans students because of their trans identity. Some states disagreed, and Trump could simply argue that Title IX doesn’t protect trans students.

He might even say it’s unfair to girls if trans athletes play on girls' teams. But things could get complicated if states run by Democrats try to stop this new interpretation. It could lead to legal battles, says Jon Valant from the Brookings Institution. Trump could also go to Congress to change Title IX, making it clear that only two genders exist. Rep. Tim Burchett from Tennessee has already drafted a bill for this, and Trump wants Congress to pass it. But it might be tough, especially in the Senate. Already, some states like Florida have laws against trans students playing in school sports. Only people assigned female at birth can play on girls’ teams under these laws. These laws could start a domino effect, hurting trans people’s rights in schools, workplaces, and healthcare access, says Gillian Branstetter from the ACLU. “When states or politicians take on trans athlete rights, they often use the same arguments and lawyers to target other trans rights, like healthcare and bathroom use, ” Branstetter added.

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