Trump Issues Executive Order Banning Transgender Women in Women’s Sports “`
President Trump will issue an executive order on Wednesday prohibiting individuals assigned male at birth from participating in women’s and girls’ sports.
The order, to be signed at an afternoon ceremony, represents a significant policy shift regarding transgender individuals and their rights under the Trump administration.
Last month, on his first day in office, the president issued a directive redefining sex as solely male or female on official documents and government policies.
During his campaign, Trump’s promise to exclude men from women’s sports garnered broad support, exceeding typical partisan divides. Polling data indicated that a majority of voters believed that societal and governmental support for transgender rights had become excessive.
He emphasized this stance before the election, vowing to eliminate what he termed “transgender insanity,” although lacking specific policy details at the time.
Wednesday’s order—coinciding with National Girls and Women in Sports Day—will impact the administration’s interpretation of Title IX, the legislation promoting gender equity in athletics and addressing campus sexual harassment.
“This executive order restores fairness, upholds Title IX’s original intent, and defends the rights of female athletes who have worked their whole lives to compete at the highest levels,” stated Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC).
Each administration has the authority to interpret this landmark legislation differently. Previous administrations provide contrasting examples of this dynamic.
During Trump’s first term, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos issued a Title IX policy in 2020, narrowing the definition of sexual harassment and requiring colleges to investigate claims only when reported to specific officials.
The Biden administration rescinded this policy last April, issuing its own which protected LGBTQ+ students’ rights under federal law and enhanced safeguards for sexual assault victims. While not directly addressing transgender athletes, this policy was promptly challenged in court by multiple Republican-led states.
“All Trump has to say is, ‘We are going to read the regulation traditionally,’” noted Doriane Lambelet Coleman, a Duke Law School professor.
The potential impact of this order on the transgender athlete population—a group whose precise size is difficult to determine—remains unclear.
The Associated Press reported in 2021 that many states enacting bans on transgender athletes lacked documented instances where such participation posed problems. For example, when Utah legislators overrode Governor Cox’s veto in 2022, only one transgender girl in K-12 sports would be affected; the ban did not apply to transgender boys.
“This is a solution looking for a problem,” commented Cheryl Cooky, a Purdue University professor studying gender, sports, media, and culture, following Trump’s election.
However, the actual number of transgender athletes appears almost irrelevant. Any instance of a transgender female athlete competing—or even perceived to be competing—attracts significant attention, as seen with Lia Thomas swimming for the University of Pennsylvania and the recent San Jose State volleyball season.